Many Meetings
by Jedi Sapphire
Summary: The first meeting of Legolas and Estel, the twins see their old friend after a long time... But that's just the setting. Mainly action with a bit of humour, and angst in later chapters. The rating is just to be safe. Now complete.
1. Well Met in Eryn Lasgalen

**DISCLAIMER: **I daresay the legal details of who owns which part of Tolkien's work are complex. I, unfortunately, own nothing.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This is my first LOTR fic and English is not my native language, so please bear with me if the grammar is off or the details are wrong! Please review… Constructive criticism is much appreciated.

**SUMMARY: **This is Estel's first meeting with Legolas, and the twins are seeing their old friend after a very long time… but that's just the setting. And of course there are spiders and orcs and all manner of fell and evil creatures. Mainly action with a bit of humour, and some angst to come later on.

* * *

**CHAPTER 1: Well Met in Eryn Lasgalen**

The young man adjusted his cloak for the fiftieth time in half an hour.

"Relax, Estel," said the dark-haired elf riding to his left. "Thranduil does not eat people."

"He _may_ kill them," came a voice from Estel's right. "He may kill them with – extreme impoliteness, was it, Dan?"

"_Extreme_ impoliteness," the other agreed, laughing. "Which means that he can even scare Glorfindel, when he gets into one of his moods."

Estel groaned. This was going to be his first meeting with the elven king of Greenwood the Great, and he had hoped to make a good impression, especially since Thranduil was known to dislike men. Clearly, that was not going to happen.

"Cheer up," Elladan said. "We won't see much of Thranduil. And you'll like Legolas."

Estel thought back to the first time he had heard the name.

_Estel, Elladan and Elrohir were wandering through the huge galleries in Imladris, admiring tapestries of famous battles and laughing over portraits of people they knew. Estel turned from a huge mural showing Glorfindel facing a balrog to a much smaller painting beside it._

_The painting was of Elladan and Elrohir standing on either side of a strange blonde elf. The twins were identically and ceremonially dressed, wearing deep red cloaks bearing the crest of Imladris and silver circlets upon their brows. The strange elf was wearing a cloak the colour of fresh grass and the circlet he wore was in the form of a wreath of leaves worked in silver. Despite the formality of dress and pose, it was clear that the three elves in the portrait were the best of friends; they all seemed to be on the verge of laughter._

"_Who's that?" Estel asked._

_Elrohir came over to look._

"_Why, Estel," he said, faking an injured expression, "that's me and Dan. Surely you can recognize us by now."_

_Estel waited._

"_And that's Legolas," Elrohir said finally. "Prince of Eryn Lasgalen."_

"_Thranduil's son?"_

"_Yes," Elladan said. "There's another one of the three of us in Lasgalen Palace. Ada and the king had them made so that when they were tempted to declare war on each other they would remember that their children were friends."_

"_I didn't know we had strained relations with Mirkwood!"_

"_We don't, although we will if you ever call it that in front of Thranduil. He and Ada have been friends practically since they were elflings."_

Estel fiddled with his cloak again.

"How long have you known Legolas?"

It was a sign of his distraction that he did not notice the glance that Elladan and Elrohir exchanged.

"For close to three thousand years," Elrohir said finally.

"Ever since he was born, in fact – we were visiting Greenwood when he was born, do you remember, Ro?"

"You should get him to give you archery lessons," Elrohir said. Then, deliberately raising his voice, he added, "That will help undo the damage Glorfindel has done to your bowmanship."

An elf with bright golden hair reined in and rode back to them.

"A little more respect for your betters, Elrohir Elrondion!" His smile belied the severity of his words. "But his suggestion is not unwise, Estel. There are no better archers in Middle Earth than the elves of Mirkwood –"

"_Greenwood_," another elf corrected from where he rode behind Estel.

Glorfindel grimaced.

"Greenwood, then, Erestor."

"It's all the same to me," Erestor said. "But Elrond won't thank you for precipitating a war."

Glorfindel shook his head.

"In any case, Estel, Legolas is one of the best archers I know. It would do you good to learn from him, if he is willing to teach you."

As Glorfindel rode up to the head of the column again, Estel asked, "What's he like?"

"Legolas?" Elladan said. "He is pleasant enough, if you do not offend his dignity. He is a prince, after all."

Estel, toying with his bridle strap, did not see Elrohir's suppressed grin or hear the soft snort from behind him.

"I don't know how to behave with an elven prince!"

"Just remember to bow when you meet him," Elladan said seriously.

"But you must put down your sword first," Elrohir said. "You must never bear arms in the presence of a member of the royal family, unless you are on patrol or guard duty."

"You must address him as 'Your Royal Highness'."

"If he asks you how you are, you must say…"

* * *

Legolas was on the practice fields when an elf came running to him.

"We have reports," the elf said. "The party from Rivendell is half a day's ride away."

Legolas nodded. "How many are there, Rochendilwen?"

"Ten, perhaps twelve… The trees were unclear about the number."

There was a shout from the other end of the field as one of the Archery Masters held up an apple. Legolas nodded, and he threw the apple into the air. The prince raised his bow, seized an arrow, and fired in one smooth motion. The arrow caught the apple in the middle of its downward arc.

Rochendilwen shook her head.

"You are not in the best of form today, Legolas. Are you so eager to see your friends?"

"I am eager," Legolas said with a rueful smile, "but I don't think Thorontur is going to spare me the scolding for all that."

Even as he spoke, the elf who had thrown the apple stormed up to them.

"A fine thing, Thranduilion," he grumbled. "For two thousand years I have been telling Erestor that you can outshoot the best bowman Rivendell has to offer. It would be ironic indeed if the one day you failed to hit the apple at the peak of its trajectory was the one day Erestor could observe and Glorfindel outdo."

Legolas grinned.

"You would not hold one bad shot against me?"

"That depends entirely on how you shoot when Erestor is here."

"I suppose that means I can't leave the practice field?"

"Not till it's time for your patrol duty."

Legolas let out a theatrical sigh.

"What I must do for the professional pride of my teacher! _Le hannon_, Rochendilwen, please tell my father the news."

The _elleth_ nodded and ran off in the direction of the palace.

"Back to work, _ernil nîn_," Thorontur said firmly. "If you want me to let you spend time with the young lords of Rivendell tonight."

"You are a tyrant!"

"A tyrant who intends to be obeyed. Let us have no more distractions, _penneth_. I am going to back off another hundred paces." He paused while Legolas groaned. "Remember that I expect you to outshoot Glorfindel himself."

As his teacher strode off down the field, Legolas selected an arrow.

* * *

Estel sat up straighter when Elladan pointed out that they were a mile away from the great oak trees that marked the entrance to Mirkwood.

"No point," Elrohir said. "Rest assured that the trees we passed on our way have already told the wood elves everything about us."

"Including the fact that you were slouching like a sack of wheat."

"I was _not_ slouching like a sack of wheat!" Estel protested.

Elladan rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't matter, so long as you remember to stand straight when we introduce you to Legolas and Thranduil."

Estel heard a muffled grunt behind him; sure that one of the elves in the party was trying not to laugh at the thought of how big a fool the young human would make of himself, he pursed his lips and stared down at his hands.

"All right, that's enough," Erestor said suddenly. "We're nearly there."

The oak trees on either side of the path seemed to sway a little as they approached, whether in welcome or in displeasure Estel could not say. He checked his sword-belt and adjusted the bridle straps one last time.

"We are now in Eryn Lasgalen," Erestor said softly. "The realm of Thranduil Oropherion."

"Where is everything?" Estel asked, looking around. "And everybody?"

"The only buildings here are the palace, which has been carved from the mountain, and the stables and practice areas. We will reach them in some time," Glorfindel explained. "As for the elves, I do not doubt that there has been a patrol watching us from the moment we entered Eryn Lasgalen."

Estel glanced around as though expecting to see elves materializing out of the ground.

"Not there, Estel," Elladan said. He pointed at the canopy of leaves above them. "_There._ No doubt listening to every word we say."

There was a flash of movement in the leaves and Elladan smiled.

"What did I tell you?"

Elrohir looked up at the leafy dome, trying to discern the elves.

"I don't think it's them," he said slowly.

Glorfindel had his sword out in an instant, and the rest of them followed suit.

"Orcs?" he asked softly.

"No," Elladan said. "We would have sensed them."

They backed against each other nervously.

Then something huge and black dropped to the path before them.

"A _spider_," Glorfindel said, relief evident in his voice as one of the archers shot it.

"Glorfindel," Erestor said slowly, "it was not _a_ spider."

The elves raised their weapons as dozens of the giant insects skittered through the trees to them.

* * *

Thranduil buried his face in his hands, groaning.

"What is it _now_?"

"Just a delegation of men from the border villages, about the trade agreement," Istuion said.

"I will see them _tomorrow_."

"My King, just this last audience and you will be finished – there is nothing more today."

"Nothing more today? By nightfall Glorfindel and Erestor will be quarrelling under my roof and those twin sons of Elrond's will be getting up to mischief with Legolas. I cannot take another audience if I am to deal with all that too!" He glanced out at the setting sun with a frown. "Speaking of Legolas, where is he? Surely his patrol should have returned by now."

Istuion shrugged.

"I would not worry, my King. Doubtless he met the Rivendell party on the way and stayed to escort them here."

"Wonderful," Thranduil muttered. "So they are already planning mischief."

"Shall I send the men in?"

The king sighed.

"Oh, very well, send them in!"

* * *

Estel was moving as fast as he could, pulling his sword from one spider and plunging it into another. He could sense that they were winning; there had been many spiders, but not nearly enough to defeat a party of twelve elves, ten of them trained warriors.

He despatched the last spider and looked around. All of them seemed to be dead; Glorfindel was sheathing his sword and the twins were climbing back on their horses.

"Let's go," Elladan said, nudging his mare with his heels. She walked forward hesitantly. One by one, the others followed, going in single file as the path narrowed.

Estel saw the movement ahead of them a second before Glorfindel shouted, "_Elladan! _Behind you!"

Elladan whipped around just as a monstrous spider, far larger than any of the others they had seen, dropped to the path behind him, cutting him off from the others. One of the elves fitted an arrow to his bow and fired, but it bounced off the spider's back harmlessly.

"The neck!" Glorfindel said. "You have to hit the neck!"

He raised his bow, drawn, but hesitated. Estel could see why. Although the spider's body was huge, its neck was slender, and a misfire could easily hit Elladan.

Glorfindel drew a deep breath and aimed carefully.

Before he could fire, another arrow whooshed down from the trees, landing in the centre of the spider's neck.

The beast collapsed in the middle of the path.

There was a rustling movement above them. Estel raised his bow, but Elrohir hastily held out a hand to stop him. An elf dropped from the trees to land lightly on the path, looking at Elladan.

"You always bring trouble, Elrondion."

Elladan glanced at Elrohir and Estel before he scrambled hastily off his horse.

"We are sorry you were put to such trouble, Your Highness," he said, bowing. The elf shook his head and turned, and it was then that Estel realized that it was Legolas.

"_Mae govannen_," the prince of Mirkwood said cheerfully. "I hope you had a good journey."

Elrohir jumped off his horse as well, prompting Estel to do the same.

"_Ernil nîn_," the elf said, bowing deeply. "It is an honour to see you. We are deeply in your debt."

Estel though he heard a snort behind him, but forgot everything else when Elrohir took his arm and pulled him forward.

"Your Highness, may I present my foster-brother Estel? He has not had the privilege of meeting you before."

Estel hastily bowed, and, realizing what he was doing, fumbled with the buckle of his sword-belt.

"What are you doing?" the prince asked.

"Forgive me, Your Highness," Estel said. "I forgot about my weapon. It is an honour to meet you, Your Highness."

He finally succeeded in undoing his sword-belt, and looked up to see Legolas staring at him in astonishment.

"Your Highness –"

"How long have you lived in Elrond's house?" Legolas asked.

"As long as I can remember, Your Highness. Since I was a babe."

"Fifteen years, Your Highness," Elrohir supplied. Legolas glared at him.

"Fifteen years, Estel, and you still do not know when not to believe what you are told?" Estel gaped at him. Legolas smiled. "_Mae govannen_, Aragorn son of Arathorn. Please call me Legolas, and do not drop your sword unless you wish to be attacked unawares. I hope you will enjoy your stay in Eryn Lasgalen." He turned to Elladan and said something in Quenya, of which Estel understood little, but when he asked Elrohir for a translation the dark-haired elf shook his head and muttered something about language unfit for interpretation.

"Do you need a ride, _penneth_?" Elladan asked, leaping back onto his horse. "You seem to lack one."

Legolas looked outraged.

"_Penneth_ indeed! Take your horse, Elladan Elrondion, and ride as fast as it may carry you. We will see if I do not still reach the palace before you."

With that, he swung himself up into the trees again. Elladan, laughing, urged his mare to a canter.

Well? What do you think? Should I continue, or is it foredoomed to disaster? Please review and let me know!


	2. Where It All Began

**DISCLAIMER:** Everyone knows who owns this, and it isn't me… Although I _do_ wish I owned Legolas. :)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This is being posted a little earlier than I planned, since I will be out of town over the weekend and I didn't want to leave it till next week… So enjoy! And please let me know if you like it – or if you don't!

Thanks to Ainu Laire, deceased, Ranchi Blade and Calenlass Greenleaf1 for the reviews and the advice – I'm honoured that you took the time! Please review this time too - with what's good _and_ what's not.

And now… On to the story!

* * *

**CHAPTER 2: Where It All Began  
**

Estel was right behind Elladan as he urged his horse the last few paces to the wooden gates of Lasgalen Palace. Just before Elladan reached the gates, Legolas dropped from the trees to the path before him, laughing gleefully as the dark-haired elf drew rein.

Elladan got down and threw his arms around Legolas in a greeting that the prince returned. As Estel dismounted he felt a figure brush past him; a moment later Elrohir had tackled Elladan and Legolas to the ground. Estel stood watching in a mixture of amusement and fascination as the heirs to the elven realms of Middle Earth rolled on the ground like children.

Erestor cleared his throat loudly.

Legolas, disentangling himself from the twins, stood up.

Estel got a good look at him as he straightened his cloak and attempted to smooth his hair. He was dressed far more casually than in the portrait in the gallery at Imladris, his tunic, leggings and cloak in shades of green and brown. He had warrior braids, but he carried no sword. Instead, Estel could see a quiver over his right shoulder and the hilt of an elven knife over his left. He had dropped his bow in the confusion; Elrohir picked it up and held it while the prince stepped forward.

"Forgive me; I forget my duties as a host. Welcome to Greenwood. I am sure you must all wish to wash – don't _laugh_, Ro – and refresh yourselves. I will have you shown to your rooms."

He turned, took his bow from Elrohir, and led them through the courtyard to where a tall elf with hair darker than Elrond's stood waiting.

"This is Almárean," he said, mainly for Estel's benefit, since the others had visited Eryn Lasgalen several times. "The head of our household."

Almárean greeted them politely and offered to show them to their rooms. Estel noticed his brothers staying behind to talk to Legolas, and so he loitered as well.

"_Nostach be Orch gaer_," Legolas said to Elladan. "Go and wash."

"Just because your sensitive nose cannot take a bit of dust –"

"_My_ sensitive nose? _I_ seem to remember somebody sneezing for twenty minutes because he had taken a book from an undisturbed shelf –"

"I only had to take the book because a little elfling was afraid of thunder and came to me demanding a bedtime story."

"And _then_," said Elrohir, "wanted to spend the entire night with us because he was scared to go back to his room!"

Legolas blushed, but laughed.

"You two have your usual room, of course," he said. "Where would you like to sleep, Estel? Almárean had thought of giving you a room with the rest of your friends but I thought you would like the room across from mine, next to Elladan and Elrohir's."

Estel smiled.

"I would, I thank you."

"Come, then."

Legolas led them inside, but when he turned right at the end of the corridor Elrohir said, "Aren't we going in the wrong direction?"

"No," Legolas replied, glancing back at them. "_Ada_ wanted to see you as soon as you arrived. He is waiting in the small library."

Elladan groaned.

"Do you think he still remembers the viper incident?"

"It will take more than a couple of decades for him to forget the viper incident," Legolas laughed. "I should imagine it will take more than a couple of centuries!"

"That was _not_ our fault! How were we to know that it was harmless?"

"I _told_ you –"

Elrohir snorted.

"Yes, and since we have the brains of orcs we believe everything you say."

Legolas paused in front of a huge oak door. He knocked, opened it a crack, and said something to the person on the other side.

The door was flung open and a tall elf ushered them into the room. When they were inside he left, shutting the door behind him.

"Ada," Legolas said, "Elladan and Elrohir are here – and Estel, Lord Elrond's foster-son."

The elf who looked up from a terrifyingly thick sheaf of papers was remarkably like Legolas – they had the same blonde hair and bright blue eyes. When he stood, though, Estel could see that Thranduil was taller and broader than his son.

Remembering what he had always heard about the king's temper, Estel attempted to conceal himself behind Elladan.

"_Mae govannen_," Thranduil said. "How was the journey?"

"Uneventful," Elrohir said.

"Good," Thranduil said, and then added pointedly, "I trust your visit will prove just as uneventful."

"That depends entirely on the elfling – _I am a guest!_" Elladan exclaimed, when Legolas pulled an arrow from his quiver and pointed it at the older elf threateningly. "You cannot murder me beneath your father's roof."

"Watch me."

"_Aran nîn_, is this fair?" Elladan demanded. "Here we have the best of intentions –"

"I doubt that, _penneth_."

"Well, better intentions than Legolas does, anyway. Have we ever pointed arrows at you, Legolas? – No! Don't answer that. Anyway, here we are, harmless and innocent, and this young hellion who causes all the trouble – all right, _most_ of the trouble! – gets away because he opens his big blue eyes very wide and nobody ever has the heart to scold him. Is this fair?"

"Oh, be off with you," Thranduil said good-naturedly. "Enjoy your stay, Estel, and try not to let these miscreants drag you into their misdeeds."

* * *

"He was clearly thrilled to see us," Elrohir said as they left.

Legolas shook his head.

"You really should take that bath – it will be time for dinner soon."

"Right, we'll get our things –"

"You go along to the bathing rooms. I'll get your things. Almárean would have had your packs put in your usual room, along with Estel's. I don't think you want to be late for the welcoming feast."

"They're having a _welcoming feast_ for us?"

"Any cause to celebrate… And it has been too long."

"Legolas," Elladan said, suddenly serious as he put a hand on the younger elf's shoulder, "it _has_ been too long – far too long – since we last met. How are things?"

"As well as we can expect. There are fewer spiders and –"

"I was talking about you, _mellon nîn_."

There was a sudden darkness in the prince's eyes.

"There are always thunderstorms." He looked up suddenly. "_Im gelir ceni ad lín._"

"Legolas –"

"Go on," Legolas said, shrugging off Elladan's hand. "I will get your clothes."

Estel saw the twins exchange a glance as Legolas ran off down the corridor.

"What do you think?" Elrohir said.

"I think _ada_ was right. We should not have left it so late."

Elladan pushed open a door set into the wall. Elrohir and Estel followed him into a long room curtained off into cubicles. Steam was wafting from several of them.

* * *

"What did he mean about thunderstorms?"

Elladan looked up. The three of them were in the twins' room changing into their night things; Legolas had told them he had patrol duty and would join them in a couple of hours.

"Thunderstorms hold… unpleasant memories… for Legolas," he said finally. "Perhaps if you get to know him better he will tell you the rest of the story himself."

"Meaning you won't," Estel said.

"No," Elrohir said. "We will not. But I have a feeling you will grow close enough to Legolas to have your question answered."

"I never asked him to help me with my archery," Estel said regretfully.

Elladan laughed.

"_That_ need not wait, at least. You can ask him when he comes back."

* * *

Legolas sat on the bough with his legs dangling and his bow held carelessly in his left hand. An outsider would have thought the prince was not paying attention to the spiders below him. The outsider would have been wrong. The elf's eyes were narrowed as he watched the dark shapes moving around; the slightest hint of a threat would have seen the bow raised and an arrow nocked in seconds.

"Should we do anything?" an elf beside him murmured.

"No," Legolas replied just as softly. "They are too far to be a threat to anybody tonight, and if we attack them and leave even one alive by accident it might follow us back to the palace and breed. But note where they are and tell Arbellason in the morning. Meanwhile…" The prince turned around. "Eredhion?"

A dark-haired elf dropped soundlessly to the bough.

"What is it?"

"Drop a ring of smoking blackthorn around them. That will keep them here until Arbellason can have them dealt with."

The elf nodded and disappeared into the branches.

* * *

Estel was dozing in Elladan's bed when he heard the door open.

"At last!" Elrohir said. "We thought you had been eaten by a spider!"

Estel opened his eyes in time to see Legolas grimace.

"No, but we found a nest of them – oh, far from here, don't worry. I had Eredhion hem them in with smoking blackthorn – Arbellason will have them dealt with tomorrow. I did not want to risk a battle when it was starting to get dark."

"Are you all right?" Elladan asked.

"Of course."

"Does _of course_ include perhaps a broken arm that you're not telling us about because the pain is _bearable_?"

"Or a spider bite that's more of a scratch really?"

"No, _adar_," Legolas said solemnly. "No, _naneth_."

"Should we trust him, Dan?"

"Has he ever given us cause, Ro?"

"Good point."

"Get _off_ me!" Legolas protested as the twins divested him of his weapons, dropping them unceremoniously in a heap, and began to flex his arms. "I am _fine_."

Deciding that this was as good a time as any, Estel said, "Will you teach me to shoot?"

Legolas stared at him, so surprised that he forgot to push Elrohir away when he examined his tunic for signs of blood.

"Teach you to _shoot_?"

"The bow," Estel said, gesturing to the pile of weapons. "Dan and Ro said you are even better than Glorfindel."

"They _did_?" Legolas asked, grinning. "Make sure you tell Erestor they said that."

"Estel! If you do…"

"What?" Legolas asked, looking wounded. "You _don't_ think I'm better than Glorfindel?"

"I think we'll find out first thing tomorrow, since Erestor is bent on holding that competition as soon as possible."

Estel yawned suddenly. Legolas looked at him.

"I'm so sorry," the prince said. "I should have realized you would be tired, Estel… I will show you your room."

Estel picked up his pack and followed Legolas out. The elf opened the door of the room to the left and ushered Estel in. The bed looked big enough for Estel, the twins _and_ Legolas with some room left over.

"If you need anything at night do not hesitate to wake me," Legolas said. "My room is the one directly opposite. Breakfast will be served in the dining hall, but if you wish it a tray can be brought up for you."

"_Le hannon_," Estel said, yawning again. "Will you truly teach me to shoot?"

"Only if you are awake," Legolas said, looking amused. "Sleep well, Estel."

* * *

Elrohir glanced at his twin as Legolas led Estel from the room.

"What do you think?" he said as soon as the door had shut.

"Not a moment too soon." Elladan went to the window and looked out. "No rain tonight, I think," he said, sounding relieved. "So we can all get a good night's rest, and begin afresh in the morning."

* * *

What do you think? Please review!

* * *

Elvish translations:

_Nostach be Orch gaer. - _You smell like ten orcs.

_Im gelir ceni ad lín. _- I am happy to see you again.


	3. Follow the River

**DISCLAIMER: **Nothing's mine. Not even the Elf.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I _do_ know that Chapter 1 needs to be reworked a bit – thanks, Laire :) – and I _do_ intend to do it, but this has been a mad week and I've had absolutely no time for anything. I will get to it as soon as I can. In the meantime, the only really major difference is that Estel does not know about his legacy yet.

Thanks to elvellon, Lady Ambreanna, Ainu Laire and Damatris for reviews – and, Laire, please tell me if the characterization is improving!

**CHAPTER 3: Follow the River  
**

Glorfindel and Legolas stood ten paces apart on the practice field. The targets were being set up at the far end, with both Erestor and Thorontur watching and criticizing.

"_Stationary targets_?" Elladan said in disbelief, for what was probably the thousandth time that morning. "What kind of competition is that? Anyone can hit a stationary target. _I_ can hit a stationary target _blindfolded_!"

Glorfindel and Legolas exchanged a glance.

"Moving target?" Glorfindel said, raising his eyebrows.

"Exactly what I was thinking."

Together, they turned and raised their bows, aiming for Elladan.

"Two against one!" Elladan protested. "And _you_ two – with bows – against me! Not fair!"

"Don't move a muscle," Glorfindel said calmly. "Consider this a test – and a lesson – in keeping your head under pressure."

"On three?" Legolas asked. Estel was shocked to see no fear on Elladan's face, only amusement.

Glorfindel nodded. "One… Two… _Three!_"

Simultaneously, arrows sped from the elven bows and thudded to rest in the pillar on either side of Elladan's head.

"Finished showing off to each other?" Elladan asked. "Because Erestor is trying to get your attention."

"Weren't you scared?" Estel murmured as the archers turned back to the targets.

"Have you ever seen Glorfindel miss?"

Estel shook his head.

"Watch now," Elladan said, "and you'll know why I wasn't scared."

"_Tangado a chadad!_" Thorontur called. Both elves nocked arrows to their bows and drew back the strings.

* * *

Ten rounds with the targets and twenty perfect shots had been followed by tasks of increasing complexity testing both speed and skill. So far, neither elf had a clear lead, although Estel thought that the edge, if there was one, was with Glorfindel. The older elf's experience showed clearly; while Legolas was gifted, he could not match Glorfindel's serenity and composure. Estel had a feeling that would be the Mirkwood prince's undoing as the difficulty of the tasks increased.

Elrohir seemed to know what he was thinking.

"Don't be in a hurry to declare Glorfindel the winner," he said softly. "He _does_ have more experience, but Legolas has skill unrivalled… You will see."

"The final test," Erestor said wearily, "and if we have nothing at the end of this, I will not raise the issue again this side of the ocean. You see the screens, and the crosses marked part of the way up?" Glorfindel and Legolas nodded. "Right. I throw the apple, you pin it to the screen, you aim for the cross. Glorfindel, you go first."

Estel watched as Erestor threw the apple into the air, Glorfindel fired, and the arrow landed with a satisfying _thwack_ barely an inch below the cross. Legolas, next, made a perfect shot.

"How did he _do_ that?" Estel gasped, as Glorfindel raised his bow again.

"Why do you think we told you to learn from him? Glorfindel is invincible with the sword, but he has never really liked the bow."

When the round was complete, Glorfindel turned to Legolas with a smile.

"It gives me great joy to see how your skill has grown, _penneth_."

Legolas smiled back.

"You taught me how to hold my first bow, Lord Glorfindel."

Glorfindel laughed. "Well do I remember. I do not know that I would have been so eager, had I known you would outstrip me one day."

Legolas flushed at the comment.

"It was just an inch."

"Precisely," Erestor said, joining them at that point. "I propose a re-match."

Legolas and Glorfindel looked even more appalled than the others.

* * *

Elladan and Elrohir lounged on the grass watching Estel shoot at targets under the supervision of Legolas.

"He's far better than _you_ were at sixteen, _ernil nîn_," Elrohir called cheerfully. "From what I remember of you at that age you just wanted to sit in the garden –"

"On _Elwohir's_ knee –"

"And be bounced up and down –"

"While I _attempted_ to teach you your letters."

"_Labo vi Orodruin_," Legolas muttered.

"Such language!" Elladan said. "Do you have _no_ regard for the dignity of your position, Your Highness?"

"I'll tell you what I have," Legolas said. "I have a bow. I have arrows. And I just beat Glorfindel in –"

Elladan picked up a handful of grass and attempted to fling it at Legolas; being grass, it just fluttered to the ground.

"Take a break," Elrohir said unexpectedly. "You must be tired, Estel."

Estel started to shake his head, but Legolas cut in.

"I'm so sorry, Estel – I never thought! Let's take a break. It's almost time for lunch… We can go back and continue the lesson later."

"Don't you have to go on patrol?" Estel asked.

"I do, but only at night."

"Why don't we show Estel the gallery?" Elrohir said.

"The gallery? _Mellon nîn_, you know perfectly well we have nothing like the galleries of Imladris. Why drag poor Estel all the way through the palace to see six paintings?"

"Because there's one he'll want to see – the one Menelwen did of us, do you remember?"

"Oh, yes!" Estel said eagerly. "I saw the painting of the three of you in Imladris!"

Legolas made a face.

"Yes, Elrond forced us all to wear formal robes and circlets. The one here is much more casual."

"King Thranduil didn't want you to wear formal robes?"

"He did," Legolas said, "but Menelwen is an old friend of ours."

Estel laughed. His brothers had been right; he liked Legolas quite a lot already. As they gathered their bows and quivers and went back to the castle, he walked beside the prince, plying him with questions about spiders, archery and Eryn Lasgalen.

* * *

"I like this one better."

"Menelwen will be pleased to hear that," Elladan said, smiling.

The painting showed Elladan and Elrohir sitting side by side, wearing light tunics and their sword-belts, each with his bow resting on his knees. Legolas was sprawled on the floor in front of them, leaning back against their legs. The hilt of a knife was visible at his shoulder, and his bow was in his hands.

"It's a beautiful bow," Estel said. "Even nicer than the Imladris ones."

"Do not say such things before Erestor, _mellon nîn_," Legolas said. "He will bar me from Imladris – I believe I am in disgrace already."

"_Bar_ you from Imladris?" Elrohir snorted. "Every spring he has your room opened and aired in the hope that you will come once the High Pass is open."

"I cannot say that _ada_ looks forward to your arrival with the same enthusiasm, though," Elladan commented. "In fact he told us when we left that if you come back with us, we are to remember that the following places are out of bounds: the library, the cellars, the kitchens, the hidden gardens, the woods around Imladris, all the bedrooms except our own, and most especially _his_ bedroom… Did I leave anything out?"

"The dining hall except at meal times," Elrohir said. "And if we enter the Great Hall we are to have our hands in sight at all times."

"And that goes for you, too, Estel," Elladan said when the young human sniggered.

* * *

Dinner that night was a quiet affair. Elladan, Elrohir and Estel were alone, since Legolas was about to go on patrol and was having a light meal with the elves under his command and the other Rivendell elves were eating in their rooms.

"Let's go out tonight," Elrohir said. "Into the forest."

"The forest? Have you taken leave of your senses, Ro? _Ada_ will not let us hear the end of it for _centuries_, and Thranduil will bar us entry for longer."

"Only if they find out."

"And when we run back being chased by spiders, they're not going to find out, I suppose."

"We won't go far!"

"Why can't it wait till tomorrow, anyway?"

"I want to get some water from the enchanted river."

"Elrohir!" Estel and Elladan exclaimed at the same instant.

"Do you remember that time you fell in the enchanted river?" Elladan demanded.

"Why do you think I want the water? Legolas was beside himself laughing and my wounded soul demands revenge."

"Revenge? _Now?_ It happened five hundred years ago!"

"Time only makes it sweeter."

Elladan set his lips.

"Oh, come on, Dan," Elrohir urged. "Just think how much fun it'll be."

"Well…"

"Just this once! What harm can we come to? We'll be within shout of the guards."

Elladan sighed.

"I'll probably regret this… But just this once."

"When are we going?" Estel asked.

"_We_ are not going anywhere! Dan and I are going. You are staying here. We don't know what the water does to humans, and I don't particularly want to find out."

"But –"

"_No._"

"I may never have another chance," Estel said, making his eyes very large. "After all, I have only a mortal life and –"

"All _right_," Elrohir said, grimacing. "Do not start the dying human act again. You can come."

"But only if you promise to be very obedient and do exactly as we tell you."

"I will!"

* * *

Legolas, balancing easily on a slender branch, looked through the trees.

"Don't worry," Voronwë said calmly. "Arbellason will deal with it."

"Yes," Legolas said, chewing his under-lip thoughtfully. "Only… I have a feeling something is wrong."

"You and your feelings," Eredhion snorted. "Sit down, _mellon nîn_."

He reached up to grasp the back of Legolas's tunic and pull him down until he was crouching on the branch.

"Peace," Legolas said lightly, sliding his legs out from beneath him to sit comfortably between Eredhion and Voronwë. "I know Arbellason will deal with it, and everyone has been warned about the spiders… But I would have felt more comfortable if it had been done in the morning."

"It's the guests," Voronwë said. "Everyone is busy. There has been no time." He exchanged a glance with Eredhion and, leaning closer to Legolas, murmured, "A new silver dagger says you cannot hit that knothole in the tree over there."

"If you're trying to distract me –"

"Distract you? I am encouraging you to perfect your marksmanship."

Legolas shook his head, but raised his bow just the same.

* * *

"How much further?" Estel asked.

"We are almost there," Elrohir said. "It should be just through this clearing here – oh, _no_! I had not thought of this."

"What?" Estel pushed past the elf, and stopped to stare in awe. A few paces from them the river gushed through the woods in full spate, threatening to burst its banks at any moment.

"We cannot collect water here," Elladan said. "It is too dangerous."

"Let's go down a little further… The riverbed broadens further down; we may be able to get near it then."

Elladan hesitated, looking back the way they had come. He could just make out a couple of elven guards.

"We won't go far, Dan," Elrohir urged. "And we can hardly be in danger this close to the palace."

Elladan sighed.

"_Ada_ will kill me if he finds out."

"He won't find out."

"Thranduil will kill me if he finds out."

"He won't find out."

"Legolas will –"

Elrohir snorted.

"You cannot be _that_ desperate. Next you will tell me you fear Arwen's scolding. Hurry up!"

* * *

Legolas laughed.

"That is two daggers and a sword-belt you owe me now."

"It's worth it," Voronwë muttered. At the look Legolas gave him, he added, "It's worth it to have a prince who is the best archer in all the elven realms."

Legolas rolled his eyes.

"Wait here. I'm going to collect the arrows – there's no need to let the forest have them."

As Legolas sprang to the ground, an _elleth_ dropped into his place.

"Well done," she said quietly, testing her bowstring. "I would never have managed it."

"Of course, Aeroniel," Eredhion said cheerfully. "That is why _we_ are the prince's guards and _you_ are a master-archer."

They watched as Legolas collected the arrows. He turned to come back, but stopped suddenly, head cocked. Then, looking up, he beckoned.

As noiseless as the night, a dozen elves dropped from the trees.

"What is it?" Voronwë asked.

"I sense something…"

"I _hear_ something," Aeroniel said.

The elves listened. Off in the distance, partly muffled by the trees and the carpet of leaves on the ground, they could hear the distinctive skittering sound of spiders on the move.

The silence was suddenly the silence of raised bows and nocked arrows.

"Where are they?" Eredhion murmured.

A sudden scream pierced the still air.

"There!" Legolas said, racing off in the direction of the noise, the others close behind him.

* * *

What do you think? Please review!


	4. Those Infernal Spiders

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing, not even enough money to make it worthwhile to sue.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Well, Chapter 1 has _finally_ been reworked a bit… However, I can't figure out how to change the title! Somebody please help!

The angst begins in this chapter… I promised myself I wouldn't overdo it but I have a feeling I may have done – it is simply impossible to resist tormenting the poor Elf! But please let me know if you think it needs to be toned down for future chapters.

Thanks to Calenlass Greenleaf1, Lathspel, Lady Ambreanna and Damatris for the reviews! Oh, and I _am_ sorry about the cliffie… I didn't intend to leave you with it so long, but RL sort of got in the way.

On with the story!

* * *

**CHAPTER 4: Those **_**Infernal**_** Spiders**

Estel had screamed out of shock more than pain. The spider had fallen from the trees without warning; its pincers had missed him but its weight had knocked him down. Before it could move to attack him, it had Elladan's sword in its neck.

Estel scrambled to his feet and drew his sword.

"Are there more?"

"We would be foolish to assume otherwise," Elrohir said. "I only hope they are all this small."

He and Elladan pivoted slowly, looking through the trees. Not for the first time, Estel wished he had the senses of an elf.

"Can you see anything?"

"_Sedho_," Elladan murmured. "I cannot see them, but I can sense them… Quite close."

Then the spiders burst through the trees; they were maddened by something, running as fast as their eight legs would carry them, with no regard for what lay in the path before. They fell upon the elves and the human in a desperate rage; even Elladan and Elrohir, who had been fighting creatures of darkness for more years than Estel could imagine, fell back under the onslaught.

Estel felt himself seized and flung to the ground. He knew somehow that Elladan and Elrohir were in trouble and he tried to rise to go to their aid, but a spider was upon him, its foul breath assailing his nostrils.

"Hold!"

Estel started. The voice came from above, and it sounded like neither of the twins.

"Hold! Steady!"

Estel tried to raise his head.

"_Fire!_"

All of a sudden it seemed to be raining arrows; Estel was vaguely aware of the spider falling away from him and the din of the battle ceasing. Then there were the thuds of feet hitting the ground as elves dropped from the surrounding trees.

Then there was darkness.

* * *

"I knew it," Legolas said quietly. "I should have done something yesterday."

"Don't be ridiculous," Voronwë said sharply. "You were quite right; there were too few of us and we would only have wound up leading them back to the palace."

"He is right, _tithen pen_," said Arbellason, a dark-haired elf who was even broader across the shoulders than Thranduil. "I have seen battle for four thousand years; I fought on the slopes of Orodruin, and I would have done no different. You could not know that the young lords of Imladris would choose this night to run truant."

Legolas shook his head, looking in the direction of the door to the healing ward where Elladan, Elrohir and Estel were being tended. As if in response to his gaze, it opened, and an _elleth_ came out.

She smiled.

"You need not worry, Legolas. They will be fine. The human has had no harm beyond shock; he will be able to leave the ward this very night. The twins have some broken bones and scrapes, but nothing life-threatening. There is no venom; somehow none of them has been bitten."

"_Rim hennaid_," Legolas said, smiling for the first time that night. "Your words ease my heart."

The healer's smiled widened. She seemed about to speak further, but she was interrupted by an elfling who ran up to them, panting, "The king wants a report!"

"_Suilaid_, Limdur," Legolas said. "We will go to my father now. You have done well to deliver the message so swiftly."

Thranduil's young page beamed with pleasure at the praise from his prince, hastening back down the corridor.

"You will call me if there is anything?" Legolas asked.

"Of course," the healer replied. "Go make your report to the king, and do not worry about your friends. You have patrols to lead and fear will upset your aim."

* * *

Thranduil was in a rare temper.

He just managed to keep his face expressionless while his son and the commander of his army were announced. He nodded to Arbellason and waited for Legolas to enter. His son was accompanied by Voronwë and Eredhion, who tended to stick to his side like burrs whenever they sensed trouble.

"Leave us, Istuion," he snapped as soon as Eredhion had finished making his bow. "You too, Limdur."

Istuion, who knew Thranduil well, shot him a warning glance before he left the room.

The door closed. For a moment, Thranduil just looked from Legolas to Arbellason, willing himself to be calm.

"Well," he said finally, "who is going to explain what happened?"

All four elves before him started at the tone.

"It was the spiders," Arbellason said finally. "The ones Legolas found last night. Somehow Elladan and Elrohir strayed into the ring the patrol had put around them – I think they did not notice, because they were walking by the enchanted river. I was about to leave with twelve elves to destroy the spiders. Then we heard the human scream, and we ran for the sound – we met Legolas and his patrol running in the same direction."

"I see," Thranduil said softly. "What happened then?"

Arbellason and Legolas exchanged a glance; this time it was Legolas who spoke.

"We decided it would be best to attack from the trees. We did… And it worked… And then we took them to the healers."

"Elrond's children?"

"Yes."

"How are they?"

"They have come to no permanent harm, my king," Voronwë said. "The human seems to be unhurt, and Elladan and Elrohir are not badly wounded."

"Yet they are wounded."

"Yes," Legolas said quietly.

"Arbellason," Thranduil said, "leave us. I would speak to my son."

Arbellason frowned slightly.

"I will stay, my king. As long as Legolas is an archer of Mirkwood he is under my command. I would hear whatever you wish to say to him."

Thranduil jerked his head in acceptance before turning his eyes on Legolas.

"That was," he said deliberately, "the most ridiculous, stupid, _foolish_ decision you have made in all the years I have known you. Limdur would have had more sense! Knowing that there were spiders and just _leaving_ them to be dealt with later – even an _orc_ would have had more sense!"

Legolas said nothing, but his hands tightened on his bow.

"My king," Arbellason said, "it was the only thing he could have done at the time – he did not have nearly enough elves to handle that many spiders."

"Then he should have taken more elves and gone after them as soon as he returned."

Legolas flushed.

"He did tell me as soon as he returned," Arbellason protested. "It is what we do all the time. He could not have known –"

"He is _meant_ to know!" Thranduil roared, his temper finally snapping. "He is a prince of this realm! My heir! For more than two and a half millennia I have had him trained as a warrior, and not for this! He leads the archers in battle; are we to risk the lives of all our bowmen on his poor judgement?"

Legolas flushed. Eredhion and Voronwë inched closer to him, offering their silent support.

"Thranduil," Arbellason protested, "it has been a long day for all of us! You do not mean these things."

"Believe me, I do. Eredhion, Voronwë, you can wait for my son outside. I do not think anybody will attack him in this room."

Biting back a mad urge to say, "Unless you do yourself," Eredhion followed Voronwë out of the king's study. As they shut the door they heard Thranduil raise his voice in earnest.

* * *

Estel came back to consciousness slowly, feeling very comfortable and not wanting to open his eyes.

When he remembered what had happened in the wood, he _did_ open his eyes, and he sat up so suddenly that he startled the _elleth_ sitting by the window reading a book.

"You are awake, _penneth_," she said with a smile. "That is good. How do you feel?"

"Well…" Estel said. "How are –"

"The twins? They are well. They are sleeping."

Estel's gaze fell on the two beds nearest the window. Elladan and Elrohir lay on them, eyes closed. Elladan's arm, shoulder and thigh were bandaged, as were Elrohir's leg and head.

Estel felt fear such as he had never known. Never before had he seen the twin sons of Elrond – or any elf for that matter – sleep with closed eyes.

"What is wrong with them?"

"They are well, _penneth_," the healer repeated. "You must not worry. I have heard that humans can make themselves ill by worrying."

The elf's tone and face showed only concern, but Estel was irritated at the reminder that he was not one of the Firstborn.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Don't you remember? You were attacked by spiders in the wood. You were lucky Legolas and Arbellason found you."

"How… How did so many spiders get so close?"

"They had a nest deeper in the wood – you must have heard it announced; Legolas and his patrol found them last night but they were too few to risk a confrontation. All were warned to stay within the palace."

There was no reproach in the healer's voice, but Estel felt as though her words were directed at his brothers.

"Go to your room, _tithen pen_," the elf said. "Try to get some sleep. You have had a shock tonight. If you wish, I can give you something to help…"

Estel shook his head.

"Thank you for your help."

He got to his feet and slipped out of the room, trying not to let his fear show. No matter what the healer said, Estel was sure his brothers were badly hurt.

He stumbled through the corridors, his panic giving way to fury. _All were warned_, she had said, as though Elladan and Elrohir were silly little elflings who had got themselves in trouble by not heeding their _naneth_. If anyone was to blame it was Legolas, leaving those foul creatures alive so that they could ambush unsuspecting elves.

* * *

Eredhion and Voronwë, who were sitting with Istuion on a carved bench outside Thranduil's study, got to their feet when they saw the door open. Legolas and Arbellason came out; the prince, with bowed head, presenting the most abject picture they had ever seen.

Arbellason patted Legolas on the shoulder.

"Do not take it to heart, _penneth_. He meant none of what he said. The king has been worried, and it tells on his temper."

With a glance at Eredhion and Voronwë, Arbellason strode off in the direction of his quarters.

"Come on," Voronwë said as he and Eredhion each took one of the prince's arms. "Let's go to the healing wards. Elladan and Elrohir must be sleeping easily by now, and Estel will surely be awake."

"Come, _ernil nîn_," Eredhion said lightly, tugging Legolas in the right direction. "The young human will be able to cheer you up."

"And the king will not think you incompetent in the morning."

Legolas laughed, a sound that both elves were glad to hear.

They went on in the direction of the healing wards. Halfway there, they nearly walked into Estel, who had rounded a corner with bent head, muttering to himself.

"Estel!" Legolas said. "The healers have released you! That is good."

Estel looked up. His grey eyes were far from friendly. Legolas took an involuntary step back, fingers tightening around his bow again.

"What is wrong, Estel?"

"They might _die_!" Estel said furiously.

"Elladan and Elrohir?" Eredhion asked. "Did the healers tell you that?"

"No, but I _saw_ them! Who knows what those horrible creatures did to them?"

"Estel," Voronwë said, "do not fear. Our healers have had much experience in treating spider bites. They would have known at once if your brothers had been bitten."

"How can anyone be certain until they wake?"

"Calm down, Estel," Legolas said gently. "I know you must be worried, but your brothers are in no danger."

"Don't you _dare_!" Estel snarled, looking uncannily like Thranduil in a rage. "Don't you dare talk to me like I'm some – some – _idiot_ child! Or as though it was Elrohir's fault for wanting to go out –"

"Nobody said it was Elrohir's fault, _penneth_."

"But that's what the healer thinks! She didn't say it but I could tell."

"Of course she doesn't –"

"_Why_ didn't you kill those spiders when you had the chance? If you had then none of this would have happened!"

This time it was Eredhion who answered.

"Do not be foolish, Estel," he said coldly. "Nobody can tell the future."

Estel ignored him.

"Did you even stop to _think_ you might cause unspeakable harm to those close to you?"

Estel was by nature kind; shock and terror had made him say things that he would regret later. Had he seen the look on the elven prince's face then, different words would have sprung to his lips, words of comfort, consolation and affection.

But Estel was already turning away to hide his tears.

* * *

Eredhion and Voronwë exchanged a glance. Legolas, heeding neither of them, looked after Estel's retreating back with an expression the two of them knew all too well.

"Go to bed," Eredhion said calmly, pushing Legolas in the direction of the royal quarters. "I'll go to the ward and see if everything is all right."

"I'll come with you."

"_No_," Voronwë said firmly. "It's nearly midnight and you've had a tiring day. Come along."

As Eredhion hurried after Estel, Voronwë steered the prince away. Legolas was stumbling as he walked, so weary that he did not even protest when Voronwë relieved him of his bow and quiver.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Well? What _do_ you think? And before anyone flames, I am not for a minute suggesting that Thranduil was an abusive father or Estel was generally unpleasant. But practically everyone has said things they don't mean when worried or under stress.

Please leave a review!


	5. To Remember

**DISCLAIMER:** Everything belongs to the professor.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I don't know if I should up the rating for this chapter… There is more angst in this, and some unpleasant memories with implied torture – but nothing that should bother you unless you're particularly squeamish.

Many thanks to LegolasGreenleaf.Willizabeth, Lozrii, Lady Ambreanna, Calenlass Greenleaf1, Damatris and lady angst for reviewing – I've replied individually where I could.

And now on to the story – and please review!

* * *

**CHAPTER 5: To Remember**

The thunderstorm came without warning.

Voronwë and Eredhion were in their rooms in the warriors' quarters, fast asleep.

Elladan and Elrohir were dead to the world, in a drugged slumber that nothing short of the eruption of Orodruin could have penetrated.

Estel, sitting in a chair in the healing wards, was wakeful, but he did not know what a thunderstorm could mean.

Thranduil, having vented his temper at everyone who came near him, had gone to the large library in the heart of the palace. It had thick walls and no windows.

So it happened that when the slightest jerk of Legolas' body signalled his transition from elven dreams to nightmares, there was nobody to wake him up.

* * *

_There was darkness in the glade, broken by the occasional flash of lightning. Legolas felt a cool hand on his brow._

"Ion nîn_…"_

_The voice was familiar, and beloved._

_Legolas struggled to see, and his vision cleared enough for him to make out the hazy outlines of a dark-haired _elleth_ whose deep blue eyes were very kind._

"Naneth_," Legolas murmured. "You should leave… I thought you'd gone…"_

"_Don't talk, _tithen pen_. You're hurt."_

"_Please go…"_

"_Hush."_

"_They'll come after me… They'll find you…"_

"_Hush, _ion nîn_. You must rest."_

"Nana –_"_

_Legolas was cut off as the world exploded in noise and pain. Someone was screaming – his mother was screaming, so loudly that he could hear her even over the thunder._

"Nana!_"_

_He fumbled for his bow before remembering that it had been taken from him._

"_Here."_

_Legolas heard another voice as a knife was slipped into his hands. _

"_Legolas, no!" That was his mother. "Do not do it, _penneth_! You are not strong enough to fight!"_

_There was laughter, cold and cruel and disturbingly elven._

"_And so the little _ellon_ found out about the world," a voice said mockingly. "Did you think of the unspeakable harm you could cause to those close to you?"_

"_Legolas, don't listen to him!"_

_There was a fierce, animal snarl and a sudden shriek._

"_My lady!"_

"_Voronwë! Eredhion!" Legolas shook his head, trying to see more clearly. "What –"_

"_Now it is your turn, _ernil-nîn_. Did you hear your mother scream, _tithen_ Legolas?"_

"Nana_!"_

"_Legolas…"_

"_No! No, please! You had no grudge against her! Do what you want to me, but let her go!"_

"_It is too late for that, Your Highness."_

* * *

Somebody was hammering on Eredhion's door. He groaned.

"Go away!"

The door was pushed open.

"Wake up, you spawn of a balrog!"

Eredhion focused reluctantly.

Then he sat straight up.

"Voronwë! What –"

"_Lasto!_"

Eredhion fell silent. The sound of rain filtered into the room, followed, as he looked up at Voronwë in horror, by a thunderclap.

"Oh, Valar!" Eredhion gasped. "_Legolas!_"

He sprang to his feet and bolted from the room after Voronwë. They did not bother to apologize to the elves they barrelled into in their headlong rush to the royal quarters. Eredhion, reaching Legolas' room a second before his companion, flung open the door.

Legolas, bow and knife strapped to his back, was filling his quiver.

"What… What are you doing?"

"Leaving," Legolas said, in what the twins called his I-know-you'll-try-to-stop-me-but-I'm-doing-it-anyway voice.

"Are you _mad_?" Eredhion turned to Voronwë. "Go wake Elrond's sons –"

"No!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Voronwë said firmly. "You wait here with Eredhion and I will bring Elladan and Elrohir –"

"I am leaving now."

Legolas stood up and began strapping his quiver into place.

"You _can't_."

"I am going."

"But where will you go?"

"I do not know."

"Legolas."

The prince sighed.

"The southern border."

"After the _orcs_?" Voronwë demanded, just as Eredhion said, "Have you lost your _mind_?"

Legolas shook his head.

"I _must_ go."

"Why?"

"Because I must!"

"_No_ – Legolas, there has been enough madness for one day. Let's all go to the healing wards and –"

"I am leaving."

Eredhion and Voronwë, looking into his eyes, saw that nothing would dissuade him.

"All right," Eredhion said, in a voice of deceptive calm. "Leave. But we're coming with you."

"You cannot!"

"Cannot? We are the prince's guards. Where should our duty take us if not with you?"

"All three of us cannot go!"

"Why not?"

"Who else knows all the orc-paths and spider-trails? You have to stay!"

"Very well," Voronwë said. "All three of us cannot go. But two can. It only takes one _ellon_ to know the orc-paths and spider-trails."

"But –"

"Argue against that, _ernil-nîn_, and we will keep you here by force."

A smile flickered on the prince's face.

"You couldn't."

"Try it," Voronwë said, not smiling at all. ­­

* * *

Thranduil stood up and stretched. He had spent the night in the library, reading.

"Will you breakfast?" asked one of the elves who tended the library. "Shall I send for a tray?"

"No," Thranduil said. "I _will_ eat, but before that there is a young _ellon_ before whom I must humble myself."

The librarians exchanged amused smiles as the king left.

Thranduil strolled down the corridor, pausing to lean out of the huge window at the end of it. He sniffed the early morning air eagerly, taking in the scent of dew, fresh leaves and wet earth.

He frowned.

_Wet earth._

He turned and hurried on his way, stopping the first elf he came across.

"Did it rain last night?"

The elf looked startled.

"Indeed it did, my king – one of the worst storms I have ever seen."

"Oh, Eru," Thranduil groaned, and he walked on as fast as he could without actually running.

* * *

Elladan was the first to stir. Out of long habit he attempted to flex his arms and legs to ascertain what was in working order and what was not.

"Shoulder, arm and thigh."

Elladan looked up in surprise, wondering who had spoken. An _elleth_ was sitting by the window, a low table covered with jars, pouches and phials at her elbow and a book open on her knee. She was watching him with an amused smile.

"Don't try to sit," she went on. "You will only feel ill. And I will have no sympathy whatsoever."

Elladan sighed.

"How are the others?"

"Estel is well, and Elrohir will be with a few hours' rest."

"What happened? How did we get out?"

"Legolas and Arbellason both had patrols out, and they found you."

Elladan had to grin. In Mirkwood it was practically impossible to walk in the forest without tripping over a patrol.

"Where's Legolas?"

"Asleep, I hope," the healer said grimacing. Then, catching sight of the look of horror that came over Elladan's face, she said, "Forgive me, I did not mean to worry you. He was not injured. There was a storm last night; you know how they affect him."

"Can I get out of bed and –"

"No."

"Just once?"

"No."

"Bring him here?"

"That, I think, should not be a problem. In fact I'm surprised he's not here already."

As the _elleth _left the room, Elladan frowned thoughtfully. It _was _unusual for Legolas not to come to cheer them up and laugh at their clumsiness. He hoped everything was all right.

* * *

Thranduil ran the last few yards to his son's room and knocked loudly enough to be heard in Imladris. There was no response from within.

"Legolas! Are you still asleep?"

When there was still no answer, Thranduil opened the door and went in.

The room was empty.

About three minutes later, Arbellason found himself being shaken violently awake by Limdur.

"My lord, my lord, the king summons you urgently!"

Arbellason was fully awake at once.

"What happened? Where is he?"

"In the prince's room!"

Arbellason pulled on a tunic and leggings and snatched his cloak from the wardrobe, pulling it on as he raced through the halls. Urgent messages involving the prince tended to be dire, and orcs and spiders nearly always entered the picture. So did healers, usually.

He panted into Legolas' room, looking around in shock when he saw no signs of a struggle, no torn and bloody clothes lying on the floor, and no grievously injured elf.

"What happened?"

"He's gone," Thranduil said in a dazed voice.

"What?"

"There was a storm at night – his weapons are missing. I have sent an elf to the healing wards, but I fear he will not be there… He's gone."

Arbellason shook his head.

"Perhaps he is with Voronwë and Eredhion. They were waiting for him outside your study last night… They might have taken him somewhere to cheer him up."

"Perhaps," Thranduil said, looking suddenly hopeful. "Limdur, go find the prince's guards and see if they know where my son is."

* * *

"I've sent someone to bring Legolas," the healer said as she came back into the room. "He should be able to keep you amused until your brothers awaken."

"I am awake already." Elladan turned at the sound of his twin's voice, unable to suppress a grin at Elrohir's disgruntled expression. "Furthermore, I would like to sit up."

"Do you wish to be fed a sleeping potion? No? Then you will do as I tell you, Elrondion, and you will not make a fuss about it."

Elladan laughed.

"May I sit up?" he asked. "It would do me good to be able to look at the world outside, at least."

The _elleth_ considered.

"Well, you've been awake for a while, and you seem to have no concussion…"

Elladan could not suppress a grin as her expert hands settled him comfortably in a sitting position.

"Now be quiet," the healer said. "The young human was up most of the night worrying about the two of you, and I do not want you to wake him."

Elladan nodded his acquiescence and turned to look outside. The window opened to the broad courtyard that lay between the palace and the stables. The elf noticed that there seemed to be far more activity than usual. Elves were hurrying back and forth with distrait expressions, and the horses that were being exercised, sensing the mood around them, were skittish.

"Surely the spiders did not cause _that_ much trouble," he said.

The healer looked out the window as well.

"That is not because of the spiders," she said slowly. "Legolas and Arbellason told me they had finished them off… Unless someone has found something else."

She was remarkably calm about the prospect of dark creatures invading her home; anyone who wished to live in Mirkwood had to learn, first and foremost, never to panic.

Quite suddenly, they heard rapid footsteps and voices in the corridor outside.

"Wait, my King!"

"We have only heard from two patrols so far; there is one yet to come."

"Limdur will summon you at once if there is news."

"My King, you must eat!"

The door burst open and a very agitated elf king strode into the ward. With him were Istuion and Arbellason. Arbellason was fully armed, with bow, knives and sword visible about his person and, Elladan did not doubt, a number of other, smaller weapons concealed in his boots and sleeves. Even Istuion, who had touched no weapon since he had marched to the Last Alliance, had a short sword hanging from his belt.

"What happened?" Elrohir asked.

Thranduil said nothing, his eyes combing the ward rapidly. He clearly did not find whatever he sought, for he sat down on an empty bed with a heavy sigh.

"Thranduil," Arbellason said firmly, "this has gone far enough. You _must_ eat. You can do no good like this!"

"Let the last patrol send in its report," Thranduil said. "I will eat then."

Neither Arbellason nor Istuion said anything after that. Estel – whom the healer had drugged, Elladan was sure – slept on oblivious, and the twins sat in growing discomfort as they waited for someone to tell them what was happening.

The silence stretched for some fifteen minutes, at which time there was a timid knock on the door. Limdur slipped into the room.

"My King, I was to tell you that Voronwë is on patrol near the Forest River."

"Eredhion?"

"Thorontur said nothing, but I heard that none can find him – and his weapons are missing."

Thranduil nodded.

"Thank you, Limdur. You may go to your breakfast now."

"_Aran nîn_," Elrohir said once Limdur had gone, "what has happened?"

Thranduil turned to them, worry clouding his blue eyes.

"Legolas has disappeared."

* * *

Well? What do you think? Good? Bad? Indifferent?


	6. Of Trees

**DISCLAIMER:** Not mine! Not mine!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This is a lighter chapter – a bit of a counterbalance to the last one. I hope you like it!

Thanks to Lathspel, Calenlass Greenleaf1, lady angst and Lady Ambreanna for reviewing.

Onward!

* * *

**CHAPTER 6: Of Trees**

"Legolas," Eredhion said, "_enough_. We are miles from the palace. We can afford a break."

The prince stopped at once, looking stricken.

"Forgive me, _mellon nîn_. I was not thinking – and you were awake far longer than I. We can rest here."

Eredhion, walking with sure feet along an oak bough, hung his bow and quiver from another branch before sinking down with his back against the tree trunk. With a soft laugh, Legolas sat down as well, but he did not unstrap his bow until an acorn dropped on his head. Then, with a small grin, he propped his bow and quiver against the trunk.

"At least you're happy," Eredhion said, watching with distinct amusement. "That's something."

"Just getting out makes me feel better," Legolas said. "I don't have to be responsible for anyone or anything, I cannot get people killed –"

"Legolas."

"It _was_ my fault and you know it."

"It was nothing of the kind. Do you possess a mirror like the Lady Galadriel? No? Then how can you expect to know the future? You do the best you can, as we all do, and the outcomes of our actions are in the hands of the Valar."

Legolas shook his head.

"You sound like Mithrandir."

"Good! Somebody should."

* * *

Estel opened his eyes, surprised to see what seemed like a Council of War being held in the healing wards. Elladan and Elrohir were sitting up in their beds with several rolls of parchment – maps, from the look of it – on a table between them. Thranduil and Istuion were sitting on the end of Elladan's bed, and another elf whom Estel vaguely remembered having seen at meals was sitting on the end of Elrohir's. Glorfindel was standing behind Thranduil, his brow creased with worry.

Estel sat up.

"Dan? Ro?"

His brothers turned to him at once.

"Estel!" Elladan said cheerfully. "You're awake. How do you feel?"

"All right," Estel said. "Hungry," he added, when his stomach rumbled.

Thranduil smiled, although he looked distracted. "I will have breakfast brought for you, _penneth_." He gestured to an elf who stood out of Estel's line of vision.

Estel looked at the litter of parchment on the table between Elladan and Elrohir.

"What happened?"

The elves exchanged glances. Finally Elladan said, "I think we should tell him, Your Majesty. Estel has not known Legolas as long as we have, but already he looks upon your son as a friend – he has a right to know."

Estel felt a sudden stab of guilt at the mention of the elven prince, remembering the confrontation of the night before.

"What happened?" he asked fearfully. "Is he all right?"

The elves all looked at Thranduil, who sighed deeply and said, "My son and I had an argument last night… I said some things I should not have done. And there was a thunderstorm later in the night, which would have given Legolas troubled dreams."

"Where is he?" Estel asked, looking around as though he half-expected to see the young elf lying in one of the beds in the ward.

"We do not know. We believe he left the palace last night with his friend Eredhion."

None of the elves missed the look of anguish that crossed Estel's face.

"What is it, _tithen pen_?" Elrohir asked.

Estel swallowed, not wanting to tell them what had happened… Surely they would hate him if he did.

"Estel?" Elladan sounded truly concerned. "What is wrong?"

"I shouted at him," Estel admitted finally, looking down at the bedclothes. "I met Legolas on the way to the healing wards… And I was worried about you and Ro… And I lost my temper."

"What did you say to him?" Elrohir asked.

"I said… I don't even really remember now… Something about how he should have killed all the spiders when he had the chance… And that he had caused unspeakable harm –"

Estel cut himself off at a sudden, sharp intake of breath from Elladan. He looked up, but none of the elves was looking at him now. They were looking at each other warily, as though Estel's words had triggered a memory that none of them wanted to think about.

"I'm sorry," Estel practically wailed. "I didn't mean it – I didn't –"

To everyone's surprise, including Estel's, the king got up and went to sit next to his human guest.

"Do not be foolish," he said gently. "I am even older than your _ada_, _tithen pen_, and I had not your cause for fear, since I knew Elladan and Elrohir were not in danger of their lives. Yet I said much that I should not have done. Legolas himself has seen more summers than you can imagine, and he did something very stupid – no, I am not talking about the spiders. He ran away, into a forest that he knows is dangerous and has taken the lives of many elves. Nobody blames you, and you must not blame yourself."

Estel did not meet Thranduil's gaze.

"I would not have him come to harm because of me."

"And he will not come to harm. We only wait for Voronwë's return, so that we can ask him which direction Legolas took. Then we will send warriors after him, and they will bring him back safely."

"And," Glorfindel said grimly, "I will have a serious conversation with Prince Legolas Thranduilion and he will _not_ forget it in a hurry."

* * *

Voronwë tried not to hang back as his patrol returned to Lasgalen Palace. The absence of the prince must have been noticed by now, and if he knew anything of Thranduil there were elves waiting at the gates to escort him to an uncomfortable interview with the king.

Sure enough, Thorontur accosted him almost before he had taken off his cloak.

"Thranduil wants to see you."

"What about?" Voronwë asked, hoping desperately that it was something else. He would even settle for the king having found out that he, Eredhion and Legolas had snuck into Esgaroth disguised as Men the previous week.

"I have known you for a very, _very_ long time," Thorontur said calmly. "I know, therefore, that you know _precisely_ what Thranduil wants to see you about. He is in the healing wards with the sons of Elrond. Go."

Shoulders slumped, Voronwë went.

* * *

All the occupants of the room looked up at the dispirited-sounding knock on the door.

"Come," Thranduil called.

The door opened slowly, and Voronwë, looking like he would rather face a den of orcs, came into the room.

"Clearly," Arbellason said wryly, "we need not tell you why you have been summoned."

Voronwë shook his head, not daring to look at anybody.

"Well?" Thranduil said.

"It was some time," Voronwë said unwillingly, "before Eredhion and I realized that there was a storm – and of course we knew that with everything that had happened…" His eyes flitted between Thranduil and Estel. "We knew he would be… Upset. By the time we got to his room he was awake and insistent on going, and nothing either of us could say would stop him. Since he would not be prevented we decided to go with him – but he would not have both of us – so Eredhion went, and I am here."

"Do you know where he has gone?"

"Towards the south."

"To the orcs? And you _let _him go?" Thranduil snapped, despite himself. When Voronwë flinched at the tone, the king sighed. "Forgive me, _penneth_. I know you would have done all you could to stop him. My son is stubborn."

"One can see where he gets it," Glorfindel muttered, not quite inaudibly.

"But this is bad," Arbellason said quietly. "Legolas knows that region far better than any of us – he has led all the patrols that go there for close to a thousand years. We will not find him there if he does not want to be found."

"At least he is not alone," Elladan said just as quietly. Then something in him seemed to snap, and he burst out, "But when I see him I will make _sure_ he knows better than to do this again! He ran into my room in the night at least twice a week as an elfling – he had better have a _very_ good excuse for failing to do so now."

There was silence for a few minutes after Elladan spoke, finally broken by Glorfindel.

"Thranduil? What do you want to do?"

Thranduil sighed.

"What can I do? Arbellason is right, there is not an elf in all my realm who can track Legolas in that part of Eryn Lasgalen. Even the _trees_ would abet him if he wanted to hide. We must wait, and hope nothing goes wrong."

"Eredhion said he would send word as soon as he could," Voronwë supplied. "And he will persuade Legolas to return, my King. He only needs some time."

"Will the trees tell us if Legolas is safe, at least?" Estel asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Even if they do not tell us how to find him, will they tell us if he is in trouble?"

The older elves looked at each other.

"It's worth a try," Glorfindel said.

* * *

_That was foolish, elfling._

Legolas, jolted into full awareness, sat straight up and looked wildly about. Eredhion's glazed eyes were proof that he was still walking in elven dreams.

The prince looked at the oak tree that was sheltering them.

_You spoke to me, _mellon nîn_?_

_Aye_, came the voice of the tree. _I did._

_I am no elfling_, Legolas said, addressing what seemed to him the crux of the matter. _I am two thousand six hundred and –_

_Peace_, the oak said, its voice sounding wry. _You have seen more summers than I can imagine, but I am old according to my kind, and you are barely more than a child in the eyes of yours. And it _was_ foolish._

_Leaving?_

_Running away because of a bad dream_, the tree said placidly. _Already they worry for you in your father's palace. Your friends, the sons of the Master of Imladris, they worry as well. And the young human who came with them, he blames himself. As does your father._

Legolas frowned. _They have no cause. Nobody bade me go._

_Yet the last words you exchanged with them were in anger, elfling. That can unsettle the mind and cloud the judgement. Surely you know this._

Legolas said nothing.

_The human has grown fond of you_, the tree prompted. _He tries to speak to my brothers near your sire's palace, although he has not the skill to hear their voices. He asks for news of you. _Legolas' head jerked up. _Fear not; we have told them nothing. You must choose the paths you walk. But I still think it was foolish. Those who care for you will suffer much grief and uncertainty if you persist in this._

_I would not have them suffer._

_Then go back._

_I cannot. _Legolas looked up at the tree in anguish. _Do you not see? It is not the first time lives have been endangered by my poor judgement. It is not thanks to me that the sons of Elrond live._

_Really? So I suppose Ulmo sprang from the sea and killed all the spiders, did he?_

_You know what I mean._

_Aye, elfling, but you do not know what I mean. I have lost count of the number of weary travellers who have been bruised by an acorn falling from my branches or tripped over one of my roots. Am I to blame myself for their ills?_

_Of course not. It is no fault of yours. You do not control the actions of others, how they step and where they walk, and you do not intend them harm._

_Precisely._

"He is right, you know, Legolas."

Legolas looked up in surprise, to find that Eredhion was awake and listening to the exchange with some interest.

_Let me send a message to them, at least_, the tree said gently. _Let them know that you have not been eaten by spiders. Yet._

Legolas grinned. _I would be grateful if you would do that, _mellon nîn_. Tell them… _Here he hesitated. _Tell my father and Estel that they must not blame themselves. I left because I had to._

_I will, elfling._

* * *

"He is well," Rochendilwen said, as she came into the healing ward. Since the healers flatly refused to let Elladan and Elrohir leave their beds, and since Elladan and Elrohir just as flatly insisted that they were going to be a part of the action wherever it was happening, Thranduil had decided that it would be simplest to use the ward as a temporary study. Estel, who had returned less than half an hour ago after a weary morning trying in vain to hear the voices of the trees, looked up with a bright smile.

"He is?"

"Yes, _tithen pen_," the _elleth_ said. "He is well, and he sends word."

"Abject apologies?" Elladan asked. "A promise that he will _never_ do such a ridiculous thing again?"

"At least until Dan has had time to recover from this," Elrohir said, grinning.

Elladan scowled. "Which will _not_ be for another thousand years."

"I do not know about apologies," Rochendilwen said, trying not to laugh in sheer relief. "But he is well, and he says you must not blame yourself, my King. Nor you, Estel."

"And when is he coming back?" Thranduil demanded.

"He has said nothing about that," said the _elleth_ hesitantly.

"_What!_" Elladan's face was a mixture of rage and horror. "We'll just see about that." He pushed himself up and started to get out of bed, but he was pushed back by two healers. "I have to send him a message!"

"Later," one of the healers ordered firmly. "You cannot get up now."

"What do you mean I can't get up? He obeyed me well enough when he was an elfling in Imladris –"

"A _very_ long time ago."

Elladan ignored his twin.

"At least push the bed closer to the window. I can call to the trees from here."

* * *

_You have the brains of an orc._

_What!_ Legolas stared at the tree in shock. Its branches quivered; it seemed almost to be laughing.

_I am only passing on a message, elfling. I am bidden to tell you this by Elladan Elrondion. The brains of an orc, the wit of a dwarf, the – what! – no, I refuse to translate that – or that – and if you get yourself killed before returning home he will persuade Mandos to release you so that he can kill you again himself._

"Don't laugh," Legolas growled at Eredhion.

* * *

Please review! Feedback and concrit much appreciated.


	7. Apprentice Archer

**DISCLAIMER:** If wishes were horses…

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Sort of a bridge chapter, this one… a bit slow, but necessary. Tell me what you think of it!

Oh, yeah, and about the trees in the last chapter… I don't know if anybody thought it was incongruous for them to have a sense of humour, but most of the cats I've known in my life have one – a sometimes-unfathomable one, to be sure, but a sense of humour nevertheless. So I thought, why not trees too?

Thanks to Lozrii, Lathspel, Lady Ambreanna, lauren hedgehog, Jennifer and missanonymous for reviewing.

* * *

**CHAPTER 7: Apprentice Archer**

"Do you feel better?" Elrohir asked sardonically.

Elladan nodded, grinning. "Much. And I shall feel _even_ better when I can say all that to Legolas in person."

"Elladan," Estel whispered, sounding a little awestruck, "what did all those Quenya words mean?" Thranduil had a sudden coughing fit, and Glorfindel began to examine the hilt of his sword as though expecting to find an orc hiding in it. Estel stared at them, deciding that _any_ word that could make Glorfindel turn that particular shade of puce was worth knowing. "Elladan?"

"I think," Elladan said faintly, "that I am not the right person to tell you."

"All right," Estel said cheerfully. "I'll ask _ada_."

"Estel!"

Estel looked at him with an innocent expression that did not fool the elf in the least.

"If you _ever_ mention those words in his presence," Elladan said in an excellent imitation of his father's Doom is Coming voice, "I will tell him what _really _happened that day last year, when you told him you were only going down to the Bruinen."

"_What_ happened?" Glorfindel asked with interest. "I remember a truly fascinating story about how all those scrapes were because he tripped over – what was it, Estel? A pebble? – and he wet himself by falling into the river."

Estel's scowl and the twins' identical grins made the older elf resolve to get the story later.

* * *

"You should go back."

"Ha!" Eredhion said, grinning. "That's _another_ dagger Voronwë owes me now!"

"What, he bet that I would not have the good sense to send you back to the palace where you could actually be _useful_?"

"No, my prince," Eredhion responded. "Voronwë said that your stubbornness would overtake your common sense and you would bid me to return by tomorrow morning. I made it dusk today." He eyed the lengthening shadows. "As you can see, I have won with time to spare. Did you just _snort_, _mellon nîn_? Where did you acquire such unprincely habits?"

"In any case," Legolas said, fighting not to flush, "the fact of the matter remains. You should go back."

"I will if you will." Legolas shook his head firmly. "Why not? Not because of what your father said and not because you had bad dreams. You have had enough nightmares over the years and you have not fled the palace each time."

"You should go back."

"Do not try to change the subject!"

"_I'm_ changing the subject?" Legolas said in outrage.

"Yes. The subject is your unwonted obstinacy. Not that you're not _normally_ an intransigent little _ellon_, but this is particularly stupid even for you. Do you think I don't know what you're doing? You want to go further south and you will not lead me into danger."

"I –"

"Therefore, Legolas, I am staying, until you consent to abandon this folly and return to the palace with me. In the meantime, answer my question. Why are you so eager to venture into the land of the orcs? Why now?"

"I do not know."

"It was what the human said."

Eredhion's tone said that it was not a question.

"I don't –"

"He didn't know what he was saying, Legolas! And it was two thousand years ago! Do you want to make him blame himself for the rest of his life?"

"That's not the point! It was my fault then, and –"

Eredhion seized the prince's shoulders in a grip tight enough to hurt.

"Listen to me, Legolas. It was _not_ your fault then. Didn't Elladan and Elrohir spend _months_ convincing you of that? To hear _them_ describe it, it was more like _years_. It was not your fault then and it is not your fault now!" Eredhion turned his head without releasing Legolas. "And none of this conversation is to be repeated at the palace, if you please. The last thing we need is for the twins or the human to come racing through the wood."

"Especially considering that even _with_ horses they cannot outrun us in Greenwood," Legolas supplied with a grin.

* * *

Thorontur looked at the young human who was sitting alone on a bench watching the bowmen at practice. He looked unhappier than the Archery Master had seen any being look for _centuries_.

Quietly the elf went and sat beside the boy.

"I hear Legolas is going to teach you archery."

"He _was_," Estel whispered.

Thorontur laughed.

"Fear not, _tithen pen_. He will teach you. If the woods to the south are safe for anybody, they are safe for Legolas. Even the growing darkness cannot turn the trees to evil, and those trees adore the elfling inordinately. Personally I have never understood why."

Estel looked up into the elf's twinkling eyes. "I wanted him to be my friend," he said. He had no idea why he was saying this to a complete stranger, but the elf next to him radiated the kind of warmth and wisdom that Estel associated with Mithrandir. "I spoke without thinking."

"The best of us do, sometimes. You know, of course, that Thranduil himself did that last night. And even the twin sons of Elrond… They love Legolas as though he were their own brother, but if you think they have never fought…"

"They have? Dan and Ro… With _Legolas_?"

"Shouting loudly enough to be heard in Valinor, all three of them. Of course they always made up later. It is difficult to be friends for two and a half millennia without the occasional disagreement."

Estel looked up to see a gentle smile on the elf's face.

"The way my brothers talked about him," he said a little wistfully, "I've always wanted to be his friend. But in all the years I was growing up in Imladris he never came there."

"No, _penneth_… His duties kept him here. Sometimes I think we should have forced him to go to Imladris for a few weeks every year. It is difficult for any elf to live in the shadow of the evil consuming the south, and Legolas insists on leading every patrol that goes there."

"Why?"

"He feels that it is his personal responsibility to lift the shadow from these woods… But responsibility or not, we should have ensured that he had some time away from it. We will now." The elf got to his feet. "But enough of this. Would you like to learn the bow, _penneth_?"

"You'll teach me?"

"If you wish." The elf smiled. "I am, I might add, a very good teacher. Glorfindel can teach young _ellons_ to _hold_ their bows, but _I_ can teach them to shoot."

Laughing, Estel got to his feet and went to the armoury with the Archery Master.

* * *

When Estel ran back into the healing ward an hour later, he was exhilarated, flushed with exercise and looking as thrilled as though he had just slain a dragon.

"Someone is pleased with himself," Elrohir commented. "What happened?"

"Thorontur helped me with my archery. It was wonderful!" Estel flung himself into a chair and helped himself to an apple from a bowl on the windowsill. "He said I may not be as good as Legolas or Glorfindel, but if I practise there is no reason why I should not shoot as well as the average elf."

Elladan grinned proudly.

"I knew you were that good! But you would never have believed _me_."

"I know!" Elrohir said suddenly. "Let's give Thorontur a few days to train Estel some more and then he can have a competition with –"

"_No!_" Estel protested. "Not yet – Thorontur said it will take some months of practice, at least, for me to be as good as –"

"The average elf?" Elrohir asked. At the human's nod, he said, "But I don't want you to compete with the average elf. I want you to compete with Elladan." He was interrupted by a roar of mock-outrage as his twin brother threw a pillow at him. Unfazed, he caught it and went on, "When you do, Estel, I will be betting on _you_."

"Ha!" Elladan said. "Do you not remember seeing me defeat Legolas?"

"Yes, when he only came up to your elbow."

"I meant _after_ he was grown up."

"Well, if you're referring to the time when he broke his collarbone and had his arm in a sling –"

"_And_ I defeated Glorfindel."

"Glorfindel _let_ you win because you were a tiny elfling at the time!"

"See? Even as a tiny elfling I defeated Glorfindel."

"Dan!"

Estel smiled as he leaned back in the chair, eating the apple and listening to the twins' banter. Suddenly it seemed that everything would be fine.

* * *

"_Watch, and know that it is your fault!"_

"Nana!_"_

_Legolas ignored the pain of his injuries, trying to force his body to fight. But there were simply too many orcs._

_He heard a muffled cry from behind him._

"_Voronwë?"_

_Then something struck his head and he fell to his knees._

"_Stop, you fools! I want him alive. I want him to see this."_

"_Legolas… Legolas, _penneth_, flee. There is nothing you can do –"_

"_No! _Nana!_"_

"Legolas! Wake up!"

"_What's wrong, little Legolas? Is the elfling discovering just how terrible the world can be?"_

"Nana!_"_

"LEGOLAS!"

Legolas woke with a start.

He looked around uncertainly, slightly puzzled at finding himself curled up on an oak branch, and even more puzzled at seeing Eredhion on another branch a little below. Then he remembered.

Eredhion stood up and swung himself easily onto Legolas's branch.

"What is wrong, _mellon nîn_?"

Legolas looked down, trying to see the ground through the thick foliage of the oak.

"I do not know," he replied finally. "The wood is not as it should be. We are a few hours' journey from the dark lands, but I can sense something… Waiting. As though it has been biding its time, knowing we were coming. There is some evil lurking nearby… And it feels familiar."

"We should leave, then."

"No."

"We don't have to go back to the palace, Legolas! We can go to –"

"No, I meant… _I_ will not leave. You should leave. Go back to the palace and warn my father."

"Don't be ridiculous. I cannot leave you here alone to face whatever is out there! Come with me, we can warn the king and then either come back with the patrol or stay in the palace or go to some other part of the wood!"

"Once already lives have been endangered because I left an evil to be dealt with later. I cannot take that risk again. Go back and warn my father."

"I will not leave you!"

"Someone has to warn –"

"And what are you going to do?"

"I am going to find out what it is."

"Then I am coming with you."

"But –"

_Go home, elflings._ Legolas and Eredhion both jumped and nearly lost their balance as the tree spoke unexpectedly. _We will see that this evil is contained until you can return with warriors._

_I _must_ find out, _mellon nîn, Legolas said passionately. _I cannot take such a risk again._

_Then do not go alone, at least. Let your friend go with you. If you both manage to injure yourselves so badly that neither of you is fit to return to the palace, we will see that word reaches the king. Go, and be careful. Try not to get yourselves killed._

_You will not tell anyone of this unless something _does_ happen? I would not have them riding here without cause._

_We will not._

"_Le hannon_," Legolas said aloud, dropping to the ground.

_You are welcome, elfling._

* * *

A dark, hooded figure sat in a thicket, head cocked as though listening to something. He was surrounded by a handful of orcs and some men. The men were dressed as he was, with dark cloaks and cowls pulled far forward to hide their faces.

"So," he said, with definite satisfaction in his voice, "the time has come at last. _Tithen_ Legolas has wandered into our lair."

"And now we kill him?" one of the men asked, hoarse in his eagerness.

The leader laughed softly. It was not a pleasant sound.

"Kill him? Of course not. Have you not heard that death is the gift of Ilúvatar? I am not fond enough of Legolas to give him presents. We are going to talk to him."

* * *

What did you think? Please review!


	8. A Remembered Presence

**DISCLAIMER:** Yup, I own LOTR. And I also own the Mona Lisa and the continent of Asia and was recently elected Supreme Ruler of the Universe.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I originally intended to post this tomorrow, but I might be a bit busy… So here you go, a day early! Let me know what you think!

Thanks to Lozrii, Lathspel, lauren hedgehog, Lady Ambreanna and Firefly-Maj for reviewing. Your encouragement keeps me going, _mellyn nîn_.

* * *

**CHAPTER 8: A Remembered Presence  
**

Legolas kept an arrow in his hand as he stepped through the wood as silently as a shadow, Eredhion behind him.

"Legolas," the other elf said in a voice barely louder than the rustling of the leaves. "I sense danger."

"Aye," the prince murmured back. "Perhaps we should walk in the trees. We might miss something, but it will be safer."

His companion nodded acquiescence, and the two of them climbed into the nearest tree as quietly as they could – which meant that even the tree was just barely aware of their presence.

Legolas crouched on a branch.

"Can you sense it?"

"Yes," Eredhion breathed. "Further south. But I fear for you if we continue on this path, _mellon nîn_."

"We have no choice. We are still too close to home, and the evil is too powerful." He straightened slowly, and turned to his friend. "If anything happens to me, Eredhion, you must leave me – yes, _leave me_ – and return to the palace to warn my father."

"I will, if you will promise to stay alive until I can return with help."

Legolas just grinned at him.

* * *

Estel was up before dawn, and by the time an inch of the sun's disc showed over the horizon he was waiting impatiently on the practice field for Thorontur.

The elf arrived a few minutes later, looking pleased to find his newest pupil ready.

"If you have half as much skill as you have heart, _penneth_," he said, smiling, "you will be one of the best archers in Imladris. Would you like to stay here for a few months and learn the bow?"

Estel looked at the elf in delight.

"You mean… Archery training? Full archery training?"

"Well, not full training, perhaps… That would take two or three years, at least, and I doubt Master Elrond can spare you that long. But we can make a reasonably competent bowman of you in a few months. When Legolas returns he will be able to help you as well."

Estel tried not to let his brow crease at the mention of the elf prince. True, everyone had calmed down a bit since word had come that Legolas was safe. Thranduil had gone back to his study, Elladan and Elrohir had gone back to demanding to be let out of bed ("What do you _mean_ I can't walk with a broken leg?") and Estel had felt himself free of some of the burden of guilt.

"_Penneth_," the elf said, amused exasperation in his voice, "Do not worry about Legolas. Let us concentrate on your archery."

"Archery lessons?" another voice asked, and Estel and Thorontur turned to see Glorfindel watching them. "Is it not enough that you train the young of Eryn Lasgalen in this weapon of children and the faint of heart? _Must_ you so corrupt the warriors of Imladris?"

"You mean," Thorontur said, testing his bowstring, "that you are upset you lost."

"_Lost?_ Legolas is young; children will be best at children's toys. The sword, now, _that_ is the weapon of a warrior."

"Pay him no heed, Estel," Thorontur said airily. "He is just jealous of the skill you will have when I have finished with you."

"Indeed; with the quality of your teaching he may well shoot even wider than he does now," Glorfindel commented, grinning at Estel to take the sting out of his words. "Why, pray, would I envy poor marksmanship?"

"Estel," the Archery Master said, pretending to ignore Glorfindel, "get ready. Remember the stance I showed you yesterday."

Estel nodded, positioning his feet firmly and gripping his bow in his left hand.

* * *

Istuion slipped into the king's study without knocking.

"Rochendilwen wants to see you."

Thranduil sighed. "What about? If it's to do with increasing the number of night patrols or something like that, tell Arbellason to decide."

"She wants to see _you_, Thranduil."

"All right," the elvenking said, suppressing a groan. "Send her in."

When the _elleth_ entered, however, Thranduil sat up straight with a gasp. She was very pale, trembling, and there was a look of real fear in her eyes. She sat down at the king's invitation, and as soon as the door shut behind Istuion she said, "Your Majesty, forgive me!"

"What has happened?"

"I have a sense – do not ask me how, for truly I do not know myself – I have a sense that my brother is near. Not two days' journey away."

"Your _brother_?"

Rochendilwen bowed her head.

"_Goheno nîn._"

"Don't be ridiculous," Thranduil said sharply. "It was not your fault. And I am grateful to you for coming to warn me." He got to his feet and went to the far wall, where a large map of Eryn Lasgalen was pinned, known orc settlements marked in red. "Can you tell which road he must come by?"

Rochendilwen joined him.

"You wish to know if he is to the south, my King?"

Thranduil looked at her.

"Well?"

She shook her head helplessly.

"I cannot say. I do not even know how I can sense his presence. I just know that he is near." Her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "Forgive me, _aran nîn_. I am ashamed that I have brought this upon Greenwood."

"It is _not_ your doing, _penneth_," Thranduil said forcefully. "You must not blame yourself."

"If anything happens…"

"We will hope that nothing does," the king said, patting her shoulder. "Now go; I know you have been on night patrol. Get some rest. I will send scouting parties out to see if Bregolien is near."

"_Le hannon_," the younger elf said gratefully as she left the room.

* * *

Legolas and Eredhion ran lightly along an oak branch, dropping to another when it became too slender to take their weight. They were both worried and, despite the fact that they were elves, tired. They had been searching for hours and found nothing, although the sense of evil that they had felt had not diminished in the least.

By unspoken agreement, they went closer to the trunk of the tree and laid their hands on it.

_Young elves_, the tree said in greeting. _I was told you might come this way. You are far from your home._

_We need your help._

_You hunt orc._

_More than orc_, Eredhion responded. _We have sensed something lurking in the woods._

_You confirm my fear, young one. I, too, have sensed something more sinister than an orc wandering the forest paths._

_Can you tell us how to find it?_

_I do not know. I have pondered this since I first sensed its presence, but it has power that an orc does not. It can conceal its location from us._

Legolas shivered.

_Yet I feel like I know it, whatever it is_, he said. _It is familiar… Somehow…_

_Who is to say, elfling? You have led the archers of your father's realm through these woods for countless centuries. Mayhap you have sensed it before, without realizing it._

_Mayhap_, Legolas agreed reluctantly. He and Eredhion sat on the branch and began to speak in low whispers.

"What now?" Eredhion said.

"This is getting us nowhere." Legolas fingered his bowstring. "We can run through the branches in circles for days and learn nothing."

"Do you want to go back?"

"No."

Eredhion rolled his eyes.

"You're not _still_ sulking?"

"_No_," Legolas said, a little more vehemently than was necessary. When Eredhion looked at him sceptically, he shook his head. "No, I'm not. But I cannot go back and face them… And tell them that I did it _again_."

"Face whom? And tell them what?"

"Dan and Ro."

"_What?_" gasped Eredhion, who had certainly not been expecting that answer.

"I left the spiders for _later_ and they could have died because of it! I cannot do it now – without even knowing _what_ lurks in the woods – when all of Mirkwood might be threatened!"

Eredhion sighed.

"Let's get some rest."

"Forgive me, _mellon nîn_," Legolas said remorsefully. "You must be tired – I never thought! And we are achieving nothing in any case."

Eredhion, despite himself, laughed.

"Rest, Legolas," he said, clambering onto the bough above and stretching out on it.

_Rest, elfling. I will watch over you._

* * *

"Elladan? Elrohir?"

The twins looked up at the healer. She looked unusually grave.

"What is it, Calathiel?"

"The king would like to speak with you."

"Of course," Elladan said, exchanging a surprised glance with his twin. "He knows he needn't ask."

The _elleth's_ eyes were troubled. "His news is disturbing," she said.

"What?" Elrohir demanded, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed, ignoring Calathiel's exclamation of disapproval. "Has something happened to Legolas?"

"No," she said firmly, seizing Elrohir by the shoulders and forcing him back down. "Legolas is fine, as far as we know. And before I let the king in to see you, you will give me your word that you will _not_ try to get up no matter what he says!"

"Very well," Elladan said, seeing that argument would be useless. "We will not get up unless you give us leave." The healer nodded and went to call Thranduil. "For now," Elladan added, under his breath.

The king, when he came in, looked far more agitated than either elf had seen him in over a thousand years. He sat on Elladan's bed, chewing on his under-lip in a habit disconcertingly reminiscent of Legolas.

"What has happened?" Elrohir said apprehensively.

"I have had worrying tidings," the king replied, a shadow seeming to fall over his face. "Rochendilwen came to speak to me earlier. She tells me she has sensed Bregolien's presence in Eryn Lasgalen – not far from here."

"Oh, Valar," Elladan breathed.

Elrohir nodded fervently.

"I thought he had faded – or crossed into the West – or been killed – or _something_. How has he suddenly reappeared?"

"I do not know, _penneth_. Arbellason is trying to find out more. But you must both promise me that you will not leave the palace alone for any reason whatsoever. He has ample cause to want to do you harm."

"But –"

"No argument, Elrondion. If I have to tie both of you to your beds and set guards on the door, I will do it. I do not wish to have to answer to your father if anything should happen to you!"

"But Legolas!" Elrohir protested.

"We have to find him," Elladan said.

"Legolas may be safer than you think. The trees would not even give his location away to _us_; they will conceal him from his enemies as long as necessary. He will be in no danger unless he actually tries to _find_ Bregolien."

The twins exchanged a glance.

"And this thought is supposed to be _comforting_?" Elrohir asked. "We _know_ Legolas."

"Can we at least have a message sent to him?" Elladan said. "_Tell_ him to stay out of trouble?"

Thranduil nodded.

"Yes, Arbellason will have done that, though I have never known such injunctions to dissuade my son in the past. But what I really wanted to tell you…"

"What is it, my lord?" Elladan asked when the King of Greenwood hesitated.

"If the two of you wish to leave, with Estel, I understand. I will have you escorted to the gates of Imladris. I know it cannot be easy for you to stay here knowing that Bregolien is near."

"No," Elladan said softly. "It is not easy… And if it is not easy for _us_…"

"It will be unbearable for Legolas," Elrohir finished. "It is not easy to stay, but it would be far worse to leave without knowing that Legolas was safe. If he returns before Bregolien is found, we will go if you are willing to let him come with us."

"I would be most relieved to send him to Imladris for a few weeks," Thranduil said. "But I do not know that he will consent to leave under such circumstances."

Elrohir shrugged.

"He will come willingly, or we will take him by force and he will come protesting. Either way, he will come."

* * *

"Excellent shot, Estel!" Glorfindel exclaimed as the arrow thudded into the target. It had not hit dead centre, but it was a far closer shot than the young man normally made.

Estel grinned, unable to hide his sense of achievement. Thorontur's smile was broad as he patted the young human's back.

"Ah, that you had only been an elf, Estel," he said. "Had I a couple of centuries to hone your talent… But I do not doubt that among Mortals you will be one of the greatest archers living. And if Master Elrond will consent to let you remain here for a few months…"

"I do not doubt that he will," Glorfindel said dryly. "Elrond is just as taken as his sons with the bowmen of Eryn Lasgalen."

"Who's that?" Estel said suddenly, indicating the solitary figure of an _elleth_ a few hundred paces away. The _elleth_ was clearly in great agitation, and her shots were going slightly wide. Finally, in frustration, she went to one of the benches around the practice fields and sat down heavily.

"That is Rochendilwen," Thorontur said, sounding puzzled. "And I have seldom seen her this upset."

* * *

Well? What did you think? Please review!


	9. Yrch!

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing other than the plot. (If _only_ I owned an elf!)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I'm not entirely happy with the way this chapter turned out – I'm not too good at writing action sequences. But here it is, such as it is… Let me know what you think! Concrit is welcomed, especially for this chapter.

Thanks to Lozrii, lauren hedgehog, Lady Ambreanna, ProRodeoCowgirl, triolet, Firefly-Maj and Eressie for reviewing! Keep them coming, _mellyn nîn_. You guys are the best!

* * *

**CHAPTER 9: **_**Yrch!**_

"_Stay with me, _ernil nîn_."_

_Legolas tried to open his eyes, but he couldn't._

"Nana_?" he murmured drowsily._

"_Please, Legolas, stay with me. Eredhion has gone for help."_

_Legolas finally managed to open his eyes a crack._

"_Where's _Nana_?"_

"_She is beyond their harm," Voronwë said, his voice catching. "Legolas –"_

"_They killed her."_

"_Legolas, please –"_

"_It's my fault," Legolas murmured, shutting his eyes again._

"_Legolas, it is not your fault. Please stay with me, _mellon nîn_. Please, you must hold on. Greenwood has already lost her queen – we cannot lose you as well. You must stay with me."_

"_I killed her…"_

"_You didn't kill her. Bregolien did. You _know_ that. Legolas, please, hold on."_

"_I should never have tried to find you."_

"_Don't be ridiculous. And anyway you did not try to find us, elfling – we found you."_

"Nana_," Legolas murmured, drifting into darkness again._

"_Legolas, no! Look at me! Legolas!"_

"Legolas!"

Legolas groaned and opened his eyes.

"Eredhion? Did I wake you?"

"Never mind that," Eredhion said, helping Legolas sit up. "You have not had nightmares for centuries – unless there has been a storm. What is happening, _mellon nîn_?"

"I do not know," Legolas said, stretching. "I think it is the evil in the wood." He glanced at the sky. "Well, at least I did not wake you _too_ early," he said, grinning.

"Right," Eredhion said, giving him a playful shove, but grabbing his wrist so that he could not fall off the branch. "You're the one who needs the sleep! Thrashing around half the night!"

"I was _not_ thrashing around –"

"Oh, of _course_ not," Eredhion said rolling his eyes. "Please forgive me. You merely had a disturbed night."

* * *

"They approach."

The men surrounding the dark-robed elf looked up from their conversations.

"The prince?"

"And his companion. I think it is time we went out to welcome them. After all, Prince Legolas and I are old friends… One should always remember old acquaintances."

* * *

Thranduil and Glorfindel stood on one of the terraces built into the upper slopes of the mountain. The sun shone brightly on the two golden heads, belying the shadow that darkened the ancient forest.

"He will be fine," Glorfindel said comfortably.

"Aye," Thranduil replied. "He _will_ be fine if he tries to stay out of trouble." He shook his head and glanced at the practice fields, which they could see from that height. Estel was working at his archery under the careful instruction of Thorontur, and Elladan and Elrohir sitting nearby with a pair of healers hovering beside them.

"The twins are skilled," Glorfindel commented, following the king's gaze.

"At persuading healers to let them out of bed despite broken bones? I can see that."

"As to that, the healers have held out for far longer than I expected. Dealing with Legolas on a regular basis seems to have kept their senses well-tuned. But I was referring to archery."

"Aye," Thranduil said again. "They are. If only they had not had to suffer your teaching they might have been as good as the warriors of Eryn Lasgalen."

Glorfindel gave his friend a look of mock-outrage.

"I will take that as a challenge! I – _I_, humble Glorfindel, king of nothing, challenge King Thranduil Oropherion of Greenwood to an archery competition this very hour. We will see how a warrior of Eryn Lasgalen defeats me!"

"Elrohir told me that a warrior of Eryn Lasgalen already did."

"Legolas? He is as much a warrior of Imladris as one of Greenwood! Just because you wouldn't let him cross the high pass these last twenty years –"

"It doesn't matter how much time he spends in Imladris. He is a prince of Greenwood and therefore –"

"That isn't the point," Glorfindel said firmly. "Come to the fields. Now."

Laughing, Thranduil followed his old friend outdoors.

* * *

Voronwë laid his hands on the tree trunk.

_Is there word for me? Are they well?_

There was a slow sigh as the tree worked out his identity.

_Voronwë Nendirion?_

_Aye._

_Yes… They said you would ask._

_Well? How are they?_

_The elfling is having nightmares. We fear that it is the old evil lurking in the forest that has triggered them._

_Bregolien? Do they know it is he?_

_No. _The tree sounded troubled. _We have tried to get a message to one of them since your commander gave us the word – but they have been moving too swiftly to stop for conversation with trees, and the evil dulls our power so that we cannot call out to them._

_They must be stopped. _Voronwë's brow wrinkled in concern. _When Legolas left he was simply a disgruntled _ellon_ seeking a few days' peace in the forest, but now it grows dangerous._

_We will do our best, _the tree said, sounding almost apologetic. _Indeed, we would be as sorry as you would if the elfling were no longer among us._

_I know you will, _mellon nîn_._

Voronwë stepped away with a sigh, and turned to see the young human looking at him.

"Is something wrong, Estel?" he asked kindly.

"You were asking the tree about Legolas. Is he well?"

"So far, he is. Do not worry about him, _penneth_. Legolas was undergoing the final stages of his archery training when Ostoher was rebuilding Minas Anor. He will not be so easily harmed by fell creatures of the wood."

"I would go after him if I could," Estel said softly.

"There is no reason, Estel. He will be fine. And we would not risk the life of a guest in these halls."

"I am training to be a warrior."

"You will be one of the greatest warriors of your kind," Voronwë said. "This I know. You have the skill for it – and you have the heart. You are much like Legolas in some ways."

"Stop, Voronwë," a laughing voice said, and the pair looked up to see Glorfindel and Erestor approaching them. It was Glorfindel who had spoken. "You will fill him with ridiculous ideas."

"Besides," Erestor said with a shudder that was not entirely feigned, "I think Elrond's one source of comfort these past two thousand years has been that Legolas is _not_ twins."

"I tell it as I see it," Voronwë said, smiling. "He will be a great warrior."

"If I can match Legolas' tally of orc corpses I will be content," Estel said cheerfully.

Glorfindel chuckled. "Match it? _Tithen pen_, he has the slight advantage of having lived millennia longer. If you start the count today you may have half his tally, considering that he leads patrols into orc-infested areas of the forest practically every week and Elrond changes the subject if anyone suggests letting you even _watch_ a patrol set off."

* * *

"It's moving," Legolas breathed.

"The trees are silent," Eredhion murmured, looking around. "I do not like this. It is almost as though their voices have been stilled."

"If we find it, they will be able to call out again."

"Maybe we should consult one first –"

"No," Legolas said firmly. Then he turned to Eredhion. "But you should go back."

"Not _again_! I will not go back and leave you here –"

"_Someone_ must warn my father!"

Eredhion spun and placed his hands on the trunk of the nearest tree.

_Can you hear me?_

_Aye_, the tree said, sounding unusually alert. _I cannot call, but I can hear you. You must listen to me now –_

_No time. _Normally Eredhion would never have cut short an oak intent on advising him, but he knew he had only seconds before Legolas ordered him home. _Can you send a message to the palace?_

_Yes, but –_

_Although you could not call to us?_

_You _must_ listen to me!_

_There is not time; he will go. I must accompany him. That was all I needed to know. _Le hannon_._

* * *

Estel shivered suddenly, his gaze going to the forest.

"Something is wrong."

Elladan frowned from where he was sitting with Elrohir and Glorfindel, watching the young human shoot at targets.

"What do you mean?"

"I can sense it… There is something wrong with Legolas."

"With _Legolas_?" Thorontur asked, his eyebrows drawing together. "How can you tell?"

"I do not know!" Estel shook his head helplessly. "I just feel something – he is in danger. You must go to him."

Elrohir glanced at his twin and murmured, too softly for the human to hear, "What do you think?"

"I think we should go. His _daernaneth_ had the gift of foresight… It may be that he has it as well, in some measure. And if Legolas is in danger…" Elladan shuddered slightly. "He is reckless, for all that he has been commander of the Colhador for centuries and a warrior of Mirkwood for longer."

Elrohir gazed at the practice field farthest from them, where several slender Elves were shooting at clay balls being thrown into the air by a pair of Archery Masters.

"Of _course_ he is reckless," Elrohir said finally. "Would they have settled for a sensible commander?"

"I wish we could go," Elladan murmured. "It would ease my heart greatly, to be able to find Legolas. But Arbellason is right – in those woods we have no hope of finding him. We can only hope that he will do nothing foolish."

"If you were to ask me," Glorfindel put in, "I would say this discussion is purely academic anyway, since there are two healers standing not ten paces from us and I really cannot see how a pair of injured _ellyn_, no matter _how_ valiant, can fight their way past Thorontur and a dozen Greenwood bowmen."

"Well, perhaps not _alone_, but with your aid –"

"Quite right, I'd forgotten that. I really cannot see how a pair of injured _ellyn_ can fight their way past Thorontur, a dozen Greenwood bowmen, and me."

"We will be perfectly fit soon," Elrohir said, sounding almost petulant.

Glorfindel laughed.

"Yes, and if I were Legolas I would hide before the pair of you could catch up with me and do far worse damage than the spiders."

* * *

"We're near!" Legolas raised a hand to stop Eredhion. "Very near… I can sense it."

"So can I," Eredhion said, pulling an arrow from his quiver. "There is danger here. The trees are restless… But I cannot hear their voices."

"We will hear them when we have dealt with whatever roams the forest," Legolas said, raising his bow and pivoting slowly on the spot. "I can sense it… But I can see nothing but shadows."

Eredhion suddenly remembered the warning the tree had been so intent on giving him. He glanced at Legolas, who was peering through the forest as though he would make the shadows lift by force of will alone. Silently, the elf went to the nearest tree and put his hands to the trunk.

Mellon nîn…

_At last!_ The tree sounded extremely relieved. _We thought you would never stop. We have tried to call out to you but the shadow is heavy and it saps our power._

_Forgive me. I was in haste._

_You must be careful. We have word of an evil presence in these woods… Your king bade us warn you._

_We have sensed it. Legolas insists on chasing after it and I dare not leave him – I sense trouble._

_The king knows of this. We were told to tell you that the elf Bregolien has returned to Eryn Lasgalen. And indeed, though none of us has seen enough years to recognize the elf or his name, the forest itself is older far than we are. It remembers him._

_Bregolien! _gasped Eredhion, who had heard practically nothing the tree had said after the name. _Forgive me, _mellon nîn_, but are you certain?_

_I am. For longer than I care to tell there has been an elf from your stronghold bidding us every five minutes not to forget the name and not to forget to tell you._

_I have been in Bregolien's presence before, and it is not _that_ I sense – and if it is, he is much changed. He was ever a skilled warrior and he had always malice in his heart, but it should be beyond his power to bring such darkness upon the forest._

_Return to the stronghold. Take the elfling and go. Whatever darkness this elf has brought upon us, we still have enough power to hold him for a time. Long enough for you to return with reinforcements. Do not try to take him on alone._

_No._ Eredhion's tone was bleak. _Legolas will never consent to leave – not now. Not Bregolien. Besides… It is not only danger to us that I sense – the kingdom is in peril. _

_If you go back for reinforcements you might yet thwart him._

_Aye,_ Eredhion responded grimly, _but I know Bregolien. The consequences of thwarting him will be just as bad as whatever he has in mind. Besides… Legolas will never leave with me, and I cannot leave him here alone. _He strung his bow. _I am one of the prince's guards. Let me look to my duty, and let the warriors of Arbellason look to theirs._

* * *

"Legolas!"

The elven prince turned at the sound of his friend's voice, but before Eredhion could say anything else there was the sound of an orc-horn, followed immediately by over a dozen orcs emerging from the trees – not silently, as elves would have done, but brandishing their scimitars and bows and screaming shrilly in their foul tongue.

Neither of the elves wasted time on words then; standing back-to-back in the centre of the clearing, they shot as many orcs as they could in the few seconds that they had before they were beset. Then they switched to knives, still back-to-back.

For a very brief time Legolas and Eredhion seemed to be gaining the upper hand. Then an arrow came, seemingly from nowhere, and struck Legolas' right arm, just as another hit his leg. The elf gasped and barely managed to hold on to his knife. But now he could not raise his arm enough to parry the blow aimed at his shoulder, which erupted in pain as a scimitar sliced into it.

"Stop!" a voice cried suddenly. "I want them alive!"

The orcs drew back at once, although they seemed displeased by the order. Eredhion turned around and slipped an arm around Legolas' waist to hold him up. Legolas nodded his thanks.

"Bind them."

The elves tried to find the source of the voice, but they saw nobody – nobody, that is, until several hooded figures emerged from the trees, all with nocked arrows pointing at Legolas and Eredhion.

"_Mae govannen, tithen caun_," one of the figures said.

"Who are you?" Legolas gasped. "And what do you want with us?"

"I think I can answer both questions at once, Your Highness," came the reply, as slender hands reached up to draw back the dark hood.

* * *

Well? Is it as bad as I fear? Please review!


	10. Revelations

**DISCLAIMER: **Everything belongs to the professor. I'm just borrowing the characters, without permission but with every intention of giving them back safely.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This was also a slightly difficult chapter to write… I hope you like it! Feedback and criticism welcome.

Thanks to OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, Firefly-Maj, Lady Ambreanna, ProRodeoCowgirl, Calenlass Greenleaf1, triolet and Lathspel for the wonderful reviews! Keep them coming. :)

And now on with the story!

* * *

**CHAPTER 10: Revelations**

Legolas stared at the dark-haired elf before him in a mixture of shock and horror, scarcely noticing when Eredhion was pulled away from him and his hands were tied.

"_Bregolien_," he hissed.

"Yes, my little prince," the elf said quietly. "I am glad you remember me. Did I not tell you that I would return for my vengeance no matter _how_ long it took? Did you allow yourself to forget that? I do not forgive wrongs."

"You do not _forgive_?" Legolas growled. "You are a murderer and a traitor to your realm and your King and you _dare_ stand before me and –"

"_Silence!_" The elf regarded him calmly. "This I swear, Thranduilion: I will make you beg for death so that I may have the pleasure of denying it. I will make you beg in the very presence of your father the King, and he will know such grief and helplessness as I once did. You will not bear yourself so proudly for long, my _prince_." He took Legolas by the shoulder and drew him forward. "Come, I want to show you something."

Legolas stumbled a little as he followed. They walked for several minutes; Bregolien was leading them away from the others. The elf prince wondered briefly if he should attempt to overpower him and then go back and free Eredhion, but decided against it. There would be better opportunities.

He shivered slightly. There was something unnervingly silent about the woods through which Bregolien was taking him. It seemed as though the trees were not even communicating with _each_ _other_… as though they were _afraid_…

"_Look_," Bregolien said suddenly, gesturing with his free hand. Legolas looked, and gasped in horror.

They were in a clearing – but it was not a natural clearing. The trees had been hacked down and the forest burned; blackened stumps protruded from the ground and the earth was covered with grey ash. Legolas felt his stomach turn.

"Do you like my handiwork?" his captor asked lightly.

"You are one of the Eldar," Legolas breathed. "And you were once a warrior of the woodland realm. How could you _do_ this?"

"Very easily, when it came to it." Bregolien smiled. "And it was also easy – so easy, Legolas – to suppress the voices of the surrounding trees enough that there was no chance of word reaching your father's halls. I had some help, of course."

"But _why_?"

"I do believe you are shocked, little elf. Part of the reason – a very _large_ part of the reason – was to be able to see this look on your face. You have not disappointed me. The rest… Well, I needed the wood, and I also wanted to know what effect it would have on the mind of an elf, to see this destruction being carried out before his eyes but be powerless to stop it."

Legolas' heart lurched.

"What do you –"

"Do you remember those warriors who went missing some two or three years ago, elfling? You thought they had been killed by orcs, I suppose – and, in the end, they _were_ killed by orcs – but they begged for it first."

"You are lost," Legolas whispered.

"No, elfling, _you_ are lost. You, and any who try to rescue you. My master has plans."

"Since when do _you_ serve anybody other than yourself?"

"Since I met somebody who could command my respect," Bregolien said quietly.

Legolas frowned, and then shuddered as he realized the truth. "The Necromancer – you serve Sauron! Are you _mad_?"

"Entirely sane, I assure you. He promised me my revenge, in exchange for such aid as one of the Firstborn could give him. And when his time comes – as will happen very soon, elfling – I will have further rewards."

"You were always a fool, Bregolien, but have you completely lost your mind? You know the Deceiver has no honour or loyalty. He will kill you once you have served your purpose."

"_Sedho!_"

"You _do_ know this," Legolas said. "And you have thought of this –"

Bregolien hit him. "I _told_ you to be silent."

"And you are terrified of the day you cease to be useful, that is why you cannot bear to hear me speak of it. Did you want revenge so badly that you were willing to sacrifice everything for it?"

Bregolien seized Legolas' shoulders, his fingers painfully tight on the injury from the scimitar.

"You do not know anything, prince. Surely even one as young as you has heard of what Morgoth did to the elves who crossed his path." He waited for Legolas' eyes to widen. "Yes, you do know. My master plans worse – far worse – for those who oppose him. And _you_ will be the first… Unless of course somebody comes here in search of you – they _they_ can go first."

* * *

"_That_ was a remarkably quick recovery," Glorfindel said, watching Elladan trying out his leg. "Elrond would be proud of you, Calathiel."

The _elleth_ laughed.

"I have to manage the most difficult patient in all of Arda, do I not? With Legolas it is either a quick remedy or no remedy." She shook her head. "There is a custom among the healers of Eryn Lasgalen – an initiation rite, if you will. When Legolas returns from a patrol with an injury, if it is _not_ life-threatening, the task of tending to him is given to whichever elf finished healers' training most recently. It is good preparation for what lies ahead."

"I imagine _your_ first time was interesting."

"_Interesting_ is not the word I would choose. I was out of the room for less than half a minute to get some herbs I needed, and when I returned he was gone."

Glorfindel chuckled.

"I think Elrond would relate to that."

Calathiel smiled, before casting a forbidding look in Elrohir's direction. "I had better not see you trying to leave the palace, Elrondion."

"Would I ever?" Elrohir asked, looking aggrieved. "It's all Elladan's fault –"

"_Ro!_"

"Anyway, I know we can't leave just yet, so we'll stay in the palace _today_, and tomorrow morning we will –"

"Still be here," Calathiel said firmly. "Estel, I charge you to see to it. These two are _not_ to leave under _any_ circumstances unless you, personally, have heard me give them leave."

* * *

Eredhion looked around him even as he twisted his hands in what he knew would be a futile attempt to free himself. There were orcs, but he had not been a warrior of Eryn Lasgalen for over two thousand years without being able to deal with a few orcs. There were men, though, and they might be harder to handle.

He hoped Legolas' wound was not poisoned. In itself it was probably a painful injury, but as long as it did not become infected – and perhaps even if it did – it would not prevent Legolas from fighting if he knew anything of his prince. He looked around again. They had not been expecting the men, and so they had been caught unawares, but so long as Legolas was fit to fight they would be able to get away.

Bregolien and Legolas came back then. The dark-haired elf looked smugly pleased with himself, but Legolas was disturbingly pale.

At their captor's orders, a pair of orcs hauled Legolas over, forced him to the ground next to Eredhion, and tied his hands to a low-hanging branch. Legolas did not even look at them; he was glaring with a ferocity that was terrifying.

"_Mellon nîn_, what is it?"

Legolas turned to him.

"His soul is utterly lost. He has joined Sauron – but that is not the worst of it."

Eredhion listened with growing horror as Legolas recounted what had occurred between him and Bregolien.

"We cannot allow this," he breathed. "The very _thought_ is repellent. Legolas, we must do something! We have to stop him."

"I know," the prince said. "We _will_ stop him. He has grown overconfident, and that may work in our favour. We need to escape – and get a warning to the palace, but I do not see _how_."

"The trees?"

"That will do no good. We will have to tell them what has happened, and if _ada_ finds out he will not be heeding warnings, he will be riding here on the fastest horse he can find, and if Bregolien catches him…"

"Eryn Lasgalen will crumble," finished Eredhion. "But it will not be much better if something happens to you, elfling."

Legolas grinned at him.

"We will get out of this. Somehow."

Eredhion grunted, even as Legolas tried to get his palms flat against the branch. It took a few seconds, but he managed it.

The tree responded at once._ Elfling!_ _Your father asks for news of you._

_Tell him I am well._

_Well, indeed! I refuse to utter such outright lies! When the King finds out about this foul creature and his plans he will –_

Mellon nîn, saes_…_ _My father must not hear of this._

_You need help_, the tree chided. _You cannot do everything by yourself. Let me send word to your stronghold and ask that warriors be sent –_

_No! Bregolien knows these lands as well as I do, perhaps better; he will be on them before they even know where they are. We will escape, I promise you that – I have no intention of letting him corrupt me as he plans._

_Can we help?_

_Yes… We will need a distraction. Not yet, _mellon nîn_. We will signal when we do. I do not know how you will do it, but if you can somehow draw their attention off for a few moments…_

_We will do it, elfling. Tell us when you are ready._

* * *

"I do not like this," Rochendilwen said quietly, pulling away from the tree. "It is not as it was before – the trees are hiding something."

"But they _cannot_ be aiding Bregolien," Aeroniel protested, and blushed when Rochendilwen nearly flinched at the sound of the name. "Forgive me, I know this must be difficult for you –"

Rochendilwen waved away the apology.

"You can hardly avoid saying his name now. Besides, I don't think they _are_ aiding Bregolien – they are aiding Legolas. Something has happened to him, and for some reason he does not want us to know."

Aeroniel groaned.

"I knew this would happen." She bit her lip. "We had better tell the King, although I do not know what even he can do about it. It will do no good to send the archers – _curse_ the elfling! I was never very good at this leading the archers business and he _knows_ it! He _still_ has the audacity to _disappear_ and leave me to handle _everything_!"

"Clearly, you will make him regret it," Rochendilwen said, looking amused.

"Regret? He will know regret." Aeroniel began to walk towards the palace. "He will know such regret as he has never known before. When I get my hands on him…"

Rochendilwen followed. She did not feel nearly as confident as Aeroniel.

* * *

_Help me, _mellon nîn, Legolas murmured to the tree. _I need to get free._

The branch to which his hands had been tied bowed a little; it was barely perceptible and the orcs would not have noticed, but it gave Legolas just enough slack to slide his hands down the branch to where it was far narrower. He shot a glance in the direction of Bregolien, and carefully tested the rope around his wrists.

It had even more slack now – but Legolas did not dare try to free himself with Bregolien nearby; the elf was certain to notice.

He looked around for his bow and knives, and saw that someone – one of the orcs, presumably – had dumped the elves' weapons in a heap a few yards away. Bregolien had not noticed; he had not seen Legolas and Eredhion for millennia, and he probably assumed they were still the young and slightly clumsy warriors they had been at their last encounter. That could work in their favour.

Legolas risked the merest glance at Eredhion. His friend gave a barely-perceptible nod. There would never be a better opportunity; they were both relatively unhurt and if they were going to escape it had to be now.

_Distract him, _mellon nîn, Legolas asked the tree. _Draw him off._

_Certainly, elfling. Good luck._

Suddenly, trees around the glade were swaying and creaking as though in a high wind. Bregolien looked up and cursed loudly in Sindarin.

"Are you trying to get word to your father? It will do you no good at all." Legolas did not answer, and the creaking of the trees intensified. Over it Legolas could hear the faint murmuring sound of the trees talking to each other. Bregolien got to his feet with a snarl. "I am going to find out what it is, and for your own sake you had best hope that it cannot be laid to your charge."

The elf stalked away, a couple of orcs following him.

"_Hurry_," Legolas said as soon as he had gone, twisting his hands behind him and managing to pull his wrists free. He glanced at Eredhion and saw that his friend had done the same.

They got to their feet in the same instant, diving for their weapons, rolling and coming up standing back-to-back in the centre of the glade before the orcs and men quite knew what was happening. When they did realize, they attacked the elves furiously.

Legolas had managed to get off a few arrows in the time their captors stood gaping. Now he slid his bow into its sheath and switched to knives, fighting more furiously than he had ever done in his life. If they did not get away now, there would be no second chance – Bregolien would not be so careless again.

* * *

Elladan stood at the gates of the stronghold, looking out into the night.

"Something is happening," he said softly. "The trees are restive. What do they say, my King?"

Thranduil shrugged.

"I cannot tell. I only hope…"

"Legolas will be fine, _aran nîn_," Elrohir said, just as softly as his twin. "I promise you that. The Valar would allow nothing else."

* * *

What did you think? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Please review!


	11. Escape

**DISCLAIMER:** The name's not Tolkien, alas!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Well, this chapter also has a bit of action – but after this, fortunately (for me) there'll be less of it. It was sheer hell writing this without sounding ridiculous, and I'm not sure how far I succeeded.

By the way, if anybody's interested in a bit of back story on this story, check out my other fic, Warriors – I wrote it for the August Teitho. Unfortunately it has no twins or Estel, but it does have a bit of background on some of the characters in this.

Thanks to Calenlass Greenleaf1, OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, My blue rose, ProRodeoCowgirl, Lady Ambreanna, Firefly-Maj, Arwen Granger, Firebender01 and Calathiel of Mirkwood for reviewing!

And now onward…

* * *

**CHAPTER 11: Escape**

Legolas pulled his knife from an orc's limp body, spun on his heel, and thrust –

To feel a jolt as his blow was met and parried with unnatural strength. He let out a gasp, taking an involuntary step back and just stopping himself from groaning. This was _precisely_ what he had hoped to avoid.

"I see you thought you would _escape_," Bregolien said, raising his broadsword again, this time to attack. "Foolish, Your Highness. Exceedingly foolish."

"I'm known for it," Legolas said. He knew it truly _was_ foolish to banter with the elf, but he could not help himself. "But I think you'll find that _you_ have been more foolish by far."

"If that were so, _tithen pen_, _you_ would not be the one fighting for your life. I caught you within the boundaries of your father's kingdom, in the middle of a forest you _allegedly _know so well that you could find your way home _blindfolded_."

"I was careless," Legolas admitted, parrying another blow and whirling as Bregolien tried to attack from the other side. "But _you_ were overconfident. Did you think we were still the five-hundred-year-old novices you defeated so easily the last time we met? Time has passed, although you seem not to have noted it."

"Five-hundred-year-old _novice_?" Bregolien said, snorting. "Five-hundred-year-old spoilt brat was more like it. Even then they were saying you would be one of the best archers in Middle-earth, but all that skill did not save Lindariel, did it?"

Legolas' eyes blazed suddenly and he attacked with redoubled fury. Bregolien was startled enough by the young prince's intensity to have to take a couple of hasty and inelegant steps back.

"Very good," the older elf said, eyes narrowed. "I see your skill has grown, elfling. That will make my victory all the sweeter."

Legolas said nothing, concentrating on his knives. Although he was skilled, the knives were not a part of him as his bow was, and he needed his full attention on them as the duel became more intense.

* * *

Estel shivered and tossed, trying to get to sleep. He sensed that his new friend was in trouble, and it pained him that there was nothing he could do about it – but he was in a strange place, and Legolas might know the stronghold well enough to slip out without the guards noticing, but he did not – especially since one had been placed on his door, on the advice of Elladan.

"He is too much like Legolas in some ways," the dark-haired elf had told Arbellason, and the warrior had laughed – with just a hint of humour – and had said that after twenty-six centuries, he _hoped_ he knew how to deal with stubborn children.

The human had never imagined that his first visit to Eryn Lasgalen would be like this. When he had been a child, his brothers had described Legolas to him in such glowing terms that Estel had imagined him as a warrior second only to Glorfindel – if that – who dealt death to orcs and spiders and was brave enough to march up to the gates of Dol Guldur and challenge Sauron himself if only somebody would let him.

_Elrond came into the room in the middle of one of the twins' more colourful stories, and rolled his eyes, saying, "Don't fill him with nonsense."_

"_You mean Legolas _would_ be too scared to stand alone before the stronghold of the Deceiver and challenge him?" Estel asked innocently._

_Elrond opened his mouth and then shut it again. "No," he said finally. "But that is not because Legolas is brave, _penneth_. It is because he is foolish and pigheaded."_

"_So he isn't really a brave warrior?"_

"_I didn't say that!" Elrond protested, looking outraged._

"Ada_ is very fond of Legolas, although he likes to pretend he isn't," Elladan whispered. "Do not say such things, Estel, or you will anger him."_

"_Really, Elladan!" Elrond said, rolling his eyes again with a most uncharacteristic expression of exasperation. "Do not frighten the child."_

Estel smiled at the memory. Legolas had not been in the least as he had imagined. He had ridden to Eryn Lasgalen expecting to be introduced to a frowning Sindarin warrior prince who would not even want to speak to him and would spend all his free time fletching arrows, and had met instead a young _ellon _as light of heart as the Silvan elves of his father's kingdom, despite the ravages of the encroaching shadow.

It had never been easy on Estel, being a lone human child raised in a household of the Eldar. He knew, of course, that the elves of Elrond's line, having Mortal blood themselves, understood his predicament far more than any others would have done, and he felt infinitely grateful that he had not grown up in Lórien or Mithlond or Eryn Lasgalen, kind though he knew the elves of those realms to be.

He turned over again, finally feeling himself being dragged into dreams.

* * *

Eredhion slew another orc, only half his mind on the task. The other half was on Legolas and Bregolien, locked in a desperate battle in the middle of the clearing. Eredhion knew better than to interfere and risk distracting his friend, but he was cold with terror. If he and Voronwë had known that _this_ was what they would find on what was supposed to be a short trip to let Legolas calm down, they would have kept the prince in the palace by force.

He knew, with a sense of dread, that there was a very real danger that Legolas would lose the fight. Skilled warrior though the Greenwood prince was, Bregolien had far more experience and the strength of utter madness.

As though on cue, he heard a stifled gasp from Legolas. He spun, unmindful of the orcs, in time to see the blonde elf stagger back, blood welling from a gash across his chest. Bregolien smiled gleefully, raising his sword to strike the final blow. Legolas just managed to block it in time.

Eredhion's attention was jerked back to his surroundings when his elven senses caught the approach of an orc and he just managed to raise his knives in time to parry the killing blow aimed at his head. He fought on, desperately; the orcs were nearly all dead and somehow he _had_ to slay the few remaining in time to help his prince.

As though from a distance, he could hear Bregolien and Legolas breathing more heavily as they both began to tire. He slashed and cut with mad haste, his heart nearly stopping when he heard a yelp from Legolas, followed by the clatter of one of the knives falling to the ground. He did not dare turn, but he attacked the two remaining orcs with manic ferocity. As soon as he had felled them, he whirled, dropping his knives into their sheaths and raising his bow in one smooth movement.

Legolas was on his knees on the ground, his knives crossed over his head. Bregolien's sword was against the knives, and the two elves were pushing at each other with all their strength. It was easy to see which of his knives Legolas had dropped; his right sleeve was torn and bloody.

Eredhion was not the most skilled of archers, but there was no way he could miss at this distance. He drew the string back and fired.

The arrow struck Bregolien in the shoulder. He dropped his sword with a cry of pain, his gaze instantly going up to Eredhion. The young warrior shivered; there was something crazed in Bregolien's eyes. He seized another arrow and aimed for Bregolien.

"Get away from him," he said calmly. "Slowly. Back off, and do not even _think_ about reaching for any concealed weapons you may have."

Legolas lowered his knives and watched Bregolien step back cautiously. He half-turned to glance at Eredhion; then his eyes widened in surprise and he cried out a warning. Eredhion threw himself to the ground just in time to avoid the knife aimed at his throat by an orc that had been not quite dead. When he looked up again, Bregolien was gone.

"Legolas!" Eredhion got to his feet and ran to his friend. The blonde elf had his head bowed and his eyes shut. "Legolas, look at me!" Eredhion shook him. "_Legolas!_"

The prince opened his eyes the merest crack.

"Eredhion."

"Can you walk? We have to get to safety. A lot of his human servants were missing, did you notice? He may have sent them for reinforcements."

"I'll slow you down… Go."

"Don't be ridiculous," Eredhion snapped. "You know perfectly well I won't leave you. Get up." He helped Legolas to his feet, taking most of his weight when it became clear that the elven prince could not stand on his own. "We should have brought horses."

Legolas laughed, softly.

"We should not have let them catch us."

"Legolas, you _must_ focus. Listen to me. You know these woods better than any elf living. Is there somewhere safe for us to hide?"

Legolas shook his head as though to clear it.

"I will be fine," he said finally. "The trees will watch over me. You can go back to Lasgalen Palace – but do not tell _ada _I have been… hurt. If what Bregolien said is true –"

"Legolas," Eredhion said patiently, "I am _not_ leaving you. Every minute you argue is a minute lost. Now _think_. You cannot go far until you have healed. Where can we hide?"

Legolas bit his lip.

"There are some hidden caves… Not far from here. Where Voronwë and I waited… _then_."

Eredhion frowned.

"Are you sure? I do not know that that will be the best thing for you under the circumstances."

"I will be fine."

Eredhion sighed. He did not believe that Legolas would be at all fine, but they truly did not have many options – every minute they stood arguing over it brought their enemies' return closer.

"Come, then. Which way?"

"West."

The two of them stumbled forward.

"You need help," Eredhion said, as calmly as he could. "You are seriously injured – don't argue – and I do not have the skill or the supplies to treat your wounds. Of course, things _might_ have been different if you had given me enough time to collect –"

"I am –"

"Not fine, you young fool, no matter what you say. I am going to send word to the palace. You need help."

"_No!_"

"Legolas, you need –"

"You _heard_ what Bregolien said. If my father hears of this – or the twins –"

"Well, what _would_ you have me do?" Eredhion snapped. "_Nothing?_"

"That would seem to be a sensible –"

"Legolas."

The prince shivered suddenly.

"Send for Voronwë," he said. "Only Voronwë. He will know how to get to us without getting caught. The message is to go to _nobody_ else."

"How do you think we're going to manage that?"

"He has a night patrol… Is today the full moon? He has patrol during the first watch," said Legolas, who knew the patrol schedule of practically every warrior in the Greenwood. "It should be easy enough… then."

Eredhion grunted.

"I know I am going to regret this – assuming your father lets me _live_ to regret it – but all right."

* * *

_WHAT DO YOU MEAN? _Elladan roared, in a tone he had not dared to take to a tree in over seventeen centuries. Fortunately, this tree understood his frustration.

_What I say, Noldo. The elfling sends word that he is well._

_For the last time, you idiot oak, is – Legolas – hurt?_

_The elfling sends word –_

_Do I look like a dwarf or a moron? No? Then I do not want to know how Legolas _says_ he is. I want to know how he _really_ is._

_I am no healer, Noldo,_ the tree said, sounding affronted. _I know what the elfling tells me._

_Please, _mellon nîn, Thranduil put in. _Please don't help him like this – for his own sake! If he is hurt it is best that we know as soon as possible that we may go to his aid._

_The elfling sends word that he is well._

_That's it! _Elladan snapped. _Enough of this! We're going after him!_

_Where will you go, Noldo? He knows the forest paths, and you will not find him unless he wants to be found._

_You must help us,_ Elladan begged. _Please. I care for Legolas as though he were my brother, surely even you can sense this. You must know that we intend him no harm._

The tree almost seemed to sigh.

_I know, Noldo. But we dare not tell you – I fear for the elfling if he thinks that even the trees turn against him. He is in no immediate danger of his life._

And with that Elladan and Thranduil had to be content.

* * *

Voronwë sat back against the tree trunk, his eyes on the broad path that led straight to the gates of Lasgalen Palace. On either side of the path, elves were in similar positions in the branches, alert for the slightest sign of a threat.

In the prince's absence Aeroniel was commanding the patrol, and she looked nearly as worried as Voronwë felt – although her worry had a different cause. The _elleth_ had never enjoyed being left in charge.

_Voronwë Nendirion, _he heard suddenly.

His eyes widened.

_What do you –_

_Hush,_ the tree chided. _Softly, young _ellon_. What I have to say is for your ears alone._

Voronwë felt a sense of dread.

_What's happened to them?_

_They were attacked – but details are unnecessary. Listen to me, Nendirion, and listen well. Your prince is wounded and in need of healing – do not react! Sit still. I will tell you all, but you must be silent. He does not want anybody to know, because if Oropherion or the sons of Elrond hear of this, they will ride out to him – and to their own doom, so he believes. You may go to help him, if you will; you know the tracks almost as well as he does and a lone elf may cross in safety. _

_Where is he?_

_The hidden caves where you and he waited for the sons of Elrond when –_

_I know, _Voronwë cut in, not wanting the tree to finish the sentence. _I will go._

_Not now. Wait until your patrol returns and slip out in the night. He is not in danger of his life; he will last until then._

_Am I to leave no word, even, for the king? He will be frantic._

_It is for his own good. But you had better leave _some_ word to prevent him dashing out in a mad fury. It would be a pity to waste all the elfling's precautions. _

Voronwë hesitated. _How badly is he hurt?_

_I will not pretend that it is nothing, as the elfling keeps insisting. He is hurt… But the damage is more mental than physical._

_Bregolien?_ Voronwë queried, feeling his heart sink as he worst fears were realized.

_Aye, Nendirion. Bregolien._

* * *

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	12. A History Lesson

**DISCLAIMER:** All I own is the plot.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** _Finally _the dope on Bregolien. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Thanks to Calenlass Greenleaf1, ArwenGranger, Calathiel of Mirkwood, OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, Lady Ambreanna, My blue rose, Firefly-Maj, bird, Lathspel, ProRodeoCowgirl and lauren hedgehog for reviewing!

On with the story!

* * *

**CHAPTER 12: A History Lesson**

Estel woke at dawn, to the sound of a ferocious pounding. It took him a couple of seconds to realize that it was not at _his_ door.

He slipped out of bed and opened the door hastily, to see Elrohir's head poking out the doorway to the twins' room. The noise was coming from further down the corridor, where Arbellason, fully armed, was trying frantically to wake the king.

Estel went outside, and was joined a second later by his brothers.

"Forgive me," Arbellason said, seeing them. "I did not intend to wake you."

Elladan waved away the apology.

"Is something wrong?"

As Arbellason opened his mouth to answer, the door to the king's room finally opened. Thranduil came out wearing a light sleeping robe.

"Arbellason?" he said. "What is it?"

"Voronwë is gone," the elven warrior said grimly. Estel felt a thrill of fear. "He left this note – addressed to you, my King."

Thranduil took the sealed scroll that was being held out to him and tore it open. Estel watched anxiously as his eyes ran down the sheet, his face growing steadily paler.

"Oh, Valar," the elven king whispered. "What now?"

"_Aran nîn_?" Elladan asked. Without a word, Thranduil handed him the note.

"My King," Elladan read aloud, "for leaving without permission I ask your pardon, even though it is duty that summons me. I must beg you not to try to have me followed; any warrior who treads the paths I must take will surely forfeit his life to the evil in the woods. I will return as swiftly as I may."

Estel looked from one elf to another.

"Not again," he heard a hoarse voice say, and was surprised to realize that it was Elrohir. "Not _again_… I will _kill_ him."

"You will have to beat me to it," Elladan said in a voice Estel had never heard from his brother before and found absolutely terrifying. "But first we need to find him."

"I will come with you," Estel volunteered. He had no idea what his brothers planned to do, but he wanted to be a part of it, especially if it involved Legolas and the chance to _finally_ kill some orcs.

All the elves turned to stare at him.

"No, _tithen pen_," the king said firmly. "You are staying here, as are your brothers – _yes_, Elladan Elrondion, you _will_ stay in the palace. I have enough warriors to chase down Bregolien, and your father would never forgive me if I did not return all three of you to him unharmed."

"_Ada_ is just as fond of Legolas as –" Elrohir began indignantly, but he was firmly interrupted by the king.

"That may be, and I am grateful to him for it, but for now you could do no good in any case – the most seasoned warriors can get lost in those southern reaches. Arbellason, tell Aeroniel to get twelve archers –"

"We are going with them," Elrohir said stubbornly. "Dan and I are, that is. You are staying here, Estel."

"I want to come –"

"You are staying here."

"_Ada_ said I am old enough to be considered an adult by the customs of Men –"

"_Ada_ did not say you could go walking about in Greenwood when there are all manner of fell creatures –"

"He did not say I could not, either –"

"Only because he did not imagine you would _want_ to do such a thing."

"But –"

"_Sedho!_" Thranduil roared. Estel and the twins stopped arguing at once; Estel was pleased to note that even Elladan looked a little nervous. "None of you is going anywhere," the King went on, in a flat tone that was somehow more terrifying than anything Estel had heard before. "Stay here and stay out of trouble."

"We are going," Elrohir said, just as flatly. "With your permission or without, my King. So you might as well let us go with the archers."

* * *

"_Healing_ supplies, elfling," Eredhion said darkly, standing at the mouth of the cave. "How did I let you talk me out of bringing healing supplies?"

"I am –"

"Legolas, say you are fine once, just _once_ more, and I will gag you with the foulest orc-rag that I can find. You cannot walk; you have managed to get blood all over _another_ cloak – I can't imagine what the maids will have to say about that. Or Galion, for that matter! He is the one who has to listen to their complaining!"

"You're overreacting –"

"_I_ am overreacting? Wait till your father and Elladan get their hands on you."

"Why don't you just go back and –"

"Don't be ridiculous. I cannot let you stay here alone and I cannot let you try to walk back until you have at least had the wounds stitched up, so here we wait until Voronwë comes."

"_Let_ me walk back!" Legolas said in outrage. "I am _not_ an elfling!"

"No, you are the prince!" Eredhion snapped, turning on his friend. "And if you had the brains Eru gave a goat you would know that your life is important to the realm and _not_ meant to be thrown away because you are too stubborn to heed sensible advice. But Voronwë and I are responsible for your safety and we have to answer for it to Arbellason, so if I must tie you down to keep you here I will!"

Legolas stared, startled by the sudden outburst. Eredhion glared at him for a moment more before he sat on the cave floor beside his friend.

"Peace?"

Legolas had to laugh. "Peace. But truly, you scared me, _mellon nîn_. I had no idea you could be so fearsome."

"We worry for you. You are far too reckless."

"I am not reckless," Legolas said, but with so little conviction in his voice that he was clearly denying the charge out of habit.

* * *

"I still do not see how we are going to find them," Arbellason said. "Unless _someone_ knows where we can start looking."

"We can ask the trees to lead us to where Bregolien was," Thranduil said as he checked the bridle straps. "I do not doubt that all this trouble has to do with him. And then… Well, we will just have to see then." He turned to the twin elves and lone human waiting a few feet away, just ahead of the dozen archers who were to accompany them. "_You_ three will stay _behind_ the line of the archers, _out_ of trouble, and you will do _precisely_ as you are told. If I catch you disobeying you will be put in a tree to think about your crimes until we return."

Elladan waited until the elven king had turned away before leaning over from his saddle to whisper to Estel, "Don't worry. He doesn't mean it."

"How do you know?" Estel whispered back.

Elrohir chuckled. "Thranduil is only terrifying until you realize that he seldom carries through on his threats. And by the time he's finished shouting at Legolas he'll have forgotten all about us."

"So we're _not_ going to stay behind the archers?"

"_Behind_ is a relative term," the elf said, patting his horse's neck. "Now hurry!"

"Ro?" Estel asked as they filed out of the stronghold and cantered down the forest path after Arbellason and Thranduil.

"Yes?"

"Who is Bregolien?"

The twins exchanged a glance. Finally Elladan said, "You know who the Avari are, don't you?"

Estel nodded, reciting from memory, "The Avari are the dark elves who refused the great journey. Most of them live in lands so far to the east that we have no knowledge of them, but some were seduced and corrupted by Morgoth."

Elrohir nodded.

"Right. You also know that during the War of the Ring Eryn Lasgalen marched to the Last Alliance under Thranduil's father Oropher. Among the healers who went with them was an _elleth_ called Valadhiel, a distant cousin of King Thranduil's, and also of _Ada's_. During the final battle she disappeared. She had been captured by a group of Avari fighting for Sauron, but the warriors did not know this at the time. They searched for her, but they could not find her, and with so many dead and buried before they could be identified they finally assumed that she had been killed."

Estel's eyes were wide.

"It must have been terrible for her."

"It was. Nothing was heard of her for a long time. Thranduil became king and married Lindariel, and peace finally seemed to be returning to the woodland realm. Then, a few years before Legolas was born, she rode into the stronghold with two children – a grown-up son and a baby daughter."

Elladan took up the story.

"Valadhiel said that she had been forced to wed one of the Avari. They had kept her imprisoned in his home for centuries, but eventually she found a way to escape and she returned to Eryn Lasgalen with her children. Thranduil and Lindariel welcomed them all. The son – Bregolien – became a warrior, and the daughter was brought up along with the other elflings in the stronghold."

"Are they still there?" Estel asked, looking around wildly as though expecting Valadhiel and her daughter to materialize from the trees.

Elrohir smiled.

"Well, one of them is. Anyway, a few years after Valadhiel's return, when Lindariel was expecting Legolas, we were visiting Greenwood. We were all in Thranduil's study one evening when somebody knocked."

"Bregolien?" Estel asked in a hushed whisper.

"No, _penneth_, not Bregolien. Bregolien's father – the Dark Elf whom Valadhiel had been forced to marry. He was leading several warriors."

"How did they get in past the guards?"

"Valadhiel let them in –"

"_What!_ She _betrayed_ –"

"Yes," Elladan said, his face grave. "There was some extenuation; what she had not told Thranduil and Lindariel was that she had another child, a daughter, in age between the two she had brought with her. Valadhiel had not escaped the Avari; they had feigned kindness and had let her go, but had kept one of her children with them – to be brought up in their ways, they said, and she consented against her will because her husband claimed it as his due to have _one_ child with him. At the time they had not told her what they intended, and she did not mention the daughter she had left behind because the thought gave her too much grief – and perhaps guilt, as well."

"And then they came and threatened to kill the _elleth_ unless she let them in secretly?"

"Precisely," Elrohir said. "Sauron hoped to claim Eryn Lasgalen and thereby eventually defeat Lórien as well. Valadhiel let them in, to save her child, but she did not tell them there were warriors from Imladris in the stronghold, hoping that the surprise would help us defeat them."

"And it did," Elladan continued. "But there were many casualties – among them Verya, Valadhiel's older daughter.

"Valadhiel was grief-stricken, but Thranduil and Lindariel forgave her freely and encouraged her to live for the sake of the two children left to her – especially the surviving daughter, who was very young and needed her care. She did, and the little _elleth_ grew up to love the forests of her home – but her brother, Bregolien, was otherwise. He had been brought up by the Avari, and he had much of his father in his character. Sauron soon corrupted him, invading his mind and promising that if he could overthrow Thranduil he would be king in his stead."

"What happened then?" Estel whispered.

"Nothing, for a very long time. Bregolien bided his time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Centuries passed before Valadhiel realized what her son was planning. She tried to warn Thranduil, but Bregolien chased after her – I do not know precisely what happened, but at the end of it she was dead."

"He killed his _mother_?"

"He did not intend to," Elrohir said softly. "That was what he told Thranduil. All the same, Thranduil ordered him cast into the dungeons and sent word to Imladris – Queen Lindariel and Legolas were visiting us at the time. Unfortunately Bregolien escaped the dungeons and intercepted and killed the messenger. He came to Imladris himself and said that Thranduil requested his wife and son to return immediately. They went with him, of course – we had no cause to suspect him – and on the way back he killed Lindariel, and very nearly killed Legolas as well."

"And now he's come again," Estel whispered. "To finish it."

"Not while we have something to say about it, _penneth_," Elladan said grimly, his hand resting on his sword hilt.

* * *

Voronwë dropped from the trees. He peered in the direction of the hidden caves and smiled slightly when he saw Eredhion standing at the entrance to one of them looking more irritated than truly worried. His friend saw him and raised a hand in greeting; Voronwë responded and ran quickly up to the cave mouth.

"How bad is he?"

"I am _fine_," came an exasperated sounding answer from further within the cave. "You could have asked _me_, you know. I am capable of speaking for myself."

"But are you capable of telling the truth about your physical state, elfling?" Voronwë asked as he entered the cave and dropped to his knees beside Legolas. "I can thing of several elves – the healers and your father among them – who would _not_ describe you as fine."

Legolas shook his head, not bothering to protest when Eredhion and Voronwë pulled off his cloak and began to undo the laces of his tunic. The two _ellyn_ exchanged an anxious look at his uncharacteristic cooperation.

"Nothing looks _too_ bad," Voronwë said, examining the prince's shoulder. "If you're lucky and nothing is poisoned, you won't have to visit the healers over this."

Legolas smiled slightly. "Precisely. As I said, I'm fine."

Eredhion and Voronwë looked at each other again.

"Ignore him?" Eredhion asked, raising one eyebrow.

"I think so," Voronwë said. "You keep watch, just in case orcs or spiders sniff us out, and _I_ will deal with the elfling. If he doesn't make too much of a fuss we should be out soon."

"I am _not_ an elfling," Legolas grumbled.

* * *

**Sindarin Translations**

_Aran nîn _– My king

_Tithen pen_ – Little one

_Ada_ – Dad/Daddy

_Sedho!_ – Quiet!

_Mellon nîn_ – My friend

_Elleth_ – Female elf

_Penneth_ – Young one

* * *

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	13. Waiting

**DISCLAIMER: **All Tolkien's! Nothing mine!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I wasn't sure this would be done in time… But by some miracle, it is! I hope you like it.

Thanks to ArwenGranger, TheHouseOfTheGoldenFlower, Lady Ambreanna, sazza-da-vampire, ProRodeoCowgirl, OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, larabrambleofbywater and triolet for reviewing. :)

On with the story!

* * *

**CHAPTER 13: Waiting**

Thranduil lifted his hands from the tree trunk and called, "Further south, veering a little towards the east – no more than fifteen minutes' ride from here, apparently."

The small company rode onward, all of them disturbed at the unnatural stillness of the trees. The forest now called Mirkwood had become a darker place because of the evil spreading from Dol Guldur, and between Thranduil's realm and Lothlórien were leagues of woods populated by all kinds of foul creatures, but even there the trees did not give off such an aura of fear.

"Stay close, Estel," Elrohir murmured. "I do not like this."

"_Daro!_" Arbellason called suddenly, raising his hand. Estel looked at him and saw that the elven warrior was at the edge of a clearing. He nudged his horse closer to Elladan's nervously.

Arbellason gestured and Elrohir exhaled loudly.

"It's safe," he said. "Come on!"

He urged his horse to a canter. Elladan and Estel followed.

When they reached the clearing, Estel had to turn away, although Elladan and Elrohir both looked grimly satisfied. There were several orc corpses lying on the ground – and one or two more slender that might have been humans.

Elladan leaned down to pull an arrow from a body. He examined the green and gold fletching and nodded.

"Legolas."

Elrohir had joined Thranduil, Arbellason and the archers in a hasty search of the bodies. He stopped suddenly, indicating a rough path that seemed to lead away from the clearing in the direction opposite that from which they had come.

"A trail."

Arbellason joined him.

"Not Elves – the tread is too heavy. Humans, I would say, and several of them."

Estel's heart lurched.

"Have they captured – ?"

"_No_," Elladan said sharply. "If Legolas had been taken Voronwë would have told us; he would not have vanished and left that ridiculous note. He is probably just hurt; they must have gone somewhere else. Somewhere _safe_, I hope."

* * *

Voronwë tied off the last bandage and saw, with considerable relief, that the sleeping potion had _finally_ taken effect and the prince was deep in elven dreams. He got to his feet and tiptoed out to stand at the cave entrance with Eredhion.

"Asleep?" Eredhion asked.

"For a few hours, I hope."

"Good. How long do you give it before Thranduil is here with a strike force fit to launch an assault on Dol Guldur?"

Voronwë eyed the sun critically. It had just begun its downward slope.

"Dusk," he said. "If we're lucky. If we're not he'll be here in ten minutes."

"Remind me again why we agreed to be the prince's guards."

"Because we somehow failed to realize that it would be harder than facing down Morgoth. Because it was easier to consent than to face down Thranduil."

"In other words," Eredhion said, "because we are idiots."

"That too."

"Are you sure he'll sleep for the next few hours?"

"Not in the least. This is _Legolas_ we're talking about. I wouldn't put it past him to wake up now and come here demanding to be allowed to leave."

"You should have put his arm in a sling."

"He doesn't need one!"

"Of course he needs one. It's a different matter that he needs it not because his arm is injured but because a sling will make it harder for him to struggle and therefore easier for us to keep him here by force."

Voronwë grinned.

"Give me just a minute and I'll see to it."

* * *

"My King?"

The _elleth's_ voice was soft, and none but an Elf would have heard it. Thranduil and Arbellason both did, and they turned at once to Rochendilwen. She was standing before them, her face downcast.

"My King, by your leave I will follow Bregolien's trail."

"Don't be ridiculous," Arbellason said. "We have no idea how many Men he has – for all we know he might have amassed an army! We cannot go after him until we have found Legolas and Eredhion. They will be able to tell us more."

"_Hîr nîn_, please… I can have no peace while he is near – not when I know what he has done and may still do. I must go after him –"

"No, _penneth_," Thranduil said. "This is not your doing and I will not have you feeling responsible for what you cannot help."

"He is my brother," Rochendilwen said softly.

Thranduil sighed.

"I understand how you feel; when we _do _send warriors after Bregolien you may go with them, if you so wish. But you cannot run after him now, with no preparation."

Rochendilwen bowed her head in unwilling acquiescence.

Arbellason let out a frustrated sigh.

"Has nobody found any sign of where those Valar-forsaken _ellyn_ went?"

"I do not know, my Lord," Elrohir said, looking around the clearing. "I have found nothing and yet… I feel I know."

"He is right," Elladan agreed. "This place is familiar, somehow."

"From some unlawful expedition with my idiot son, I do not doubt," Thranduil muttered.

"No, my King," Elrohir said. "Your idiot son never brought us this far south – except that one time – _ow_!" He rubbed his upper arm and glared at his twin brother. "Um… As I was saying, my King, your idiot son generally keeps further north when he is with us – and _other_ than that one time about which we will not tell you, we have only been this far south of Greenwood when we came north from Lórien when –"

He stopped short and stared around the clearing.

"Dan," he said, "that's _it_."

"What's it?"

"This is somewhere near where we found Legolas _then_ – the trees are different, and it has grown much darker; that's why we didn't recognize it, and there was no clearing here then – but look around you. The lie of the land is the same."

Elladan turned slowly, cocking his head to see past the trees to the forest. Finally he nodded.

"You're right – it _is_ near the hidden caves. That must be where they've gone!"

"Do you remember the way?"

"Not really… But we are too far east, I think. If we go straight west we might find something that looks more familiar."

* * *

Legolas stirred and realized with some surprise that his eyes were closed.

"He is waking up!"

"You said you gave him a strong enough dose to keep him out till dusk!"

"I said I gave him a strong enough dose to keep any normal elf out till dusk, not a delinquent elfling whose sole aim in life is to cause despair and desolation on all sides."

Legolas groaned and opened his eyes.

"Can you two argue outside?"

"_No_," Eredhion and Voronwë said in unison. Eredhion went on smoothly, "It isn't that we don't trust you to lie here quietly and rest in our absence, _mellon nîn_. It is just that it has been Voronwë's lifelong ambition to sit in a damp cave and I am keeping him company."

Legolas shut his eyes again, missing the anxious look that his friends exchanged.

"They're coming," he said drowsily.

"Who?"

"_Ada_… Dan and Ro… Warriors, too, I do not doubt. Can't you sense it? The trees outside are very cheerful about something. Traitors."

"Good," Voronwë said with a sigh. "At least they can manage you better than we can."

Legolas opened his eyes and focused on Voronwë.

"Traitor!"

"Go back to sleep, elfling."

"I don't need to sleep!"

"That's another silver brooch you owe me now," Eredhion said merrily, earning himself glares from both his companions.

"That doesn't count! You said he'd say he was _fine_ –"

"I _am_ fine!"

"See? He says he's fine!"

"Only because I said it first!"

"Before that he said he didn't need to sleep, which _implied_ that he thought he was fine."

"Implications do not count."

"So what you're saying is that the elfling really _does_ have more sense than to say he is fine when he is not."

"Nothing of the kind! I'm just saying that _this_ time he didn't."

"It isn't working," Legolas put in, and his friends turned to him in what he was certain was feigned bewilderment.

"_What_ isn't working, elfling?" Voronwë asked innocently.

"You two are arguing about how little sense I have in the hope that I will jump in to defend my honour and forget about leaving, which I have not done. I am awake. We can go now."

"If you will hold his mouth open," Eredhion said, "I will get the cup and we can probably force-feed him enough of the potion to knock him out until the king gets here."

* * *

"Well?"

"We're near," Elrohir said, looking around. "Very near… If only the trees would help us! But even without their help we should find it soon."

"I think we've come too far south," Elladan said, squinting at the horizon. "Look, it's almost dusk, and if we go a little further north we'll probably see the sun set between those two peaks like we did then."

Elrohir nodded.

"Let's go!"

He rode ahead, his eyes trained on the western horizon. Thranduil and Elladan were right behind him, with Estel following a heartbeat later.

"This _is_ it," Elladan said suddenly. "There's the waterfall, Ro!"

"Right! I think we can stop staring at the sun now; I remember the way from here. We turn left just past that spur over there and then there's a little glade – or there was one then – and a rock pool –"

"Just _ride_, Ro," Elladan said. "Save your breath for all the things you want to say to Legolas."

"It'll take me _years_ to get through those," Elrohir responded grimly.

Several minutes later they broke out of the forest near some low, rocky hillocks. Elrohir looked around, and gave a cry of triumph as he spotted what seemed to Estel just a shadow on the rock.

"There!"

* * *

Eredhion's head jerked up at the sound of hooves on the sparse grass.

"They're here!"

"Legolas?"

Eredhion leaned into the cave to look at the prince.

"Still out. We gave him a strong dose."

"He's not going to be happy with us when he wakes up."

"Thranduil is coming here with the sons of Elrond and Arbellason and we've been helping the elfling hide from them and you're worried that _Legolas_ is not going to be happy? That's the _least_ of our problems!"

"We can always say he ordered us to help him – after all, formally we serve Legolas, not Arbellason or Thranduil."

"Right. _You_ can stay here and explain that while _I_ run for my life."

"You cannot abandon a fellow-warrior in the middle of a battle to the death!"

"You would be surprised by what I can do when Thranduil glares at me in that way he has and starts feeling for his sword."

"I have a better idea. Let's _both_ run and leave Legolas to do the explaining."

"We're not both supposed to leave him when his life is in danger."

"His life isn't in danger."

"It will be when the twins and Thranduil get here."

"Our duty extends to protecting him from _foes_. I specifically remember that. His father and his closest friends hardly come under that category, do they?"

"Good point. Let's go."

"Too late," Voronwë groaned. "The infernal Noldor have seen us. We cannot escape now."

"It was all _Legolas'_ idea," Eredhion hissed as the small party of riders approached the cave mouth. "Remember that. We just did as we were ordered."

* * *

"It was all _his_ fault," Eredhion and Voronwë said in unison as soon as the riders were within earshot. Estel would have laughed if the situation had not been so serious; a smile broke Elladan's grim countenance and even Thranduil's lips twitched.

"I doubt you are blaming each other," the elven king said dryly. "And so I must conclude that my idiot son is the cause of all this trouble. Where is he?"

"We drugged him," Eredhion said with a grin.

"He _consented_?" demanded Elrohir in a tone of disbelief. "Because if he did, you had better tell me how you managed to achieve it! You never know when such knowledge will be useful –"

"He did not consent," Voronwë said quickly. "We did not ask."

Elladan nodded. "Is he injured too badly to be slung over the back of a horse?"

"I fear so," Eredhion said, now looking as though _he_ was about to laugh. "It will be a few hours until he wakes."

"A few _hours_?" Arbellason asked. "How much did you give him?"

"We wanted to be certain! It would be just like Legolas to wake up too early and insist on trying to walk back to the stronghold!"

"That is just as well," the older warrior replied, smiling. "We will tarry until he wakes."

"Is he inside?" Thranduil asked.

At Eredhion's nod, he leapt off his horse and hastened into the cave, with Elladan and Elrohir right behind him.

* * *

**Sindarin Translations**

_Daro!_ - Stop!

_Elleth_ - Female elf

_Hîr nîn_ - My lord

_Penneth_ - Young one

_Ellyn_ - Male elves

_Mellon nîn _- My friend

_Ada_ - Dad/Daddy

* * *

Well? What did you think? Please review!


	14. Reunion

**DISCLAIMER: **All I own is the computer – which has been cranky of late!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Well, this is a _part_ of the reunion – but the more _interesting_ part will come later. ;)

Thanks to Calenlass Greenleaf1, Calathiel of Mirkwood, Din, OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, triolet, ArwenGranger, Lady Ambreanna, ProRodeoCowgirl, Writing Destiny, Galyn Solo and Rose for reviewing!

* * *

**CHAPTER 14: Reunion**

"_Watch, elfling!"_

_A blade gleaming in a sudden flash of lightning, and then an _elleth's_ scream._

"NANA!_"_

"_Legolas…"_

_Already her voice was fading._

"Nana… _No, please, don't do this! Let her go!"_

_He tried to pull himself free but the Men had him held too tightly._

"_Please," Legolas begged. "Kill me if you must, I won't stop you, but let her go. She had no part in any of this!"_

"_I will kill you in any case, my little warrior. But first I will kill your mother."_

"He's dreaming again."

"_Legolas…"_

"Nana!_ Hold on, please hold on!" Legolas was fighting to keep his voice steady. "You are an elf, Bregolien – one of my father's warriors! How can you do this?"_

"Wake up, elfling."

"_Legolas… _Namárië…_"_

"_No, please!"_

"Legolas, wake up!"

Legolas groaned and opened his eyes, expecting to see either Eredhion or Voronwë sitting beside him. He blinked and waited for his vision to clear.

"_Ada?_"

"Good evening, Legolas."

Legolas tried to push himself up into a sitting position, but a pair of firm hands held him down.

"Don't even think about it, elfling," Elladan said.

"But –"

"Look at it this way," Elrohir said. "Each of us has things to say to you – things you will _not_ enjoy hearing – and we have not begun saying them yet only because you are injured. Sit up, and we will assume that you have recovered sufficiently to hear everything we have to say. Do you understand, elfling?"

"You shouldn't have come here," Legolas said. "I _told_ the trees to lead you away, but they wouldn't do it. Treacherous oaks."

"We _know_ about Bregolien, elfling."

"But he's not alone this time – you don't know what he's done, and what he's planning. You shouldn't have come; it's too dangerous –"

"I see," Thranduil said, a dangerous glint in his eye. "It's safe for my son, who does not even seem to have the brains Eru gave a sheep, to be wandering around here with just one of his guards for protection, but it is dangerous for me to be here with the commander of my army and a dozen of my finest warriors."

"And the valiant sons of Elrond," Elrohir put in, grinning.

Legolas pushed himself up on one elbow.

"But I'm –"

"Don't you _dare_!" Elladan snapped, so furiously that even Thranduil and Elrohir looked surprised. "You're _not_ fine. You have caused us enough worry to last for _years_, even by your standards! You are now going to do _exactly_ as you are told, and if you even _think_ of arguing, elfling –"

Legolas' eyes widened and then narrowed.

"I am _not_ an elfling and I will thank you to stop treating me like one!"

* * *

Estel, tired of sitting with the archers, who seemed to do nothing but test their bowstrings and count their arrows, went inside the cave to find his brothers.

"Ro," he began as soon as he was inside, but then the words died on his lips. All he could do was stare at the scene in front of him; Legolas and Elladan were glaring at each other so fiercely that they seemed about to come to blows. Thranduil was sitting back against a protruding rock, watching them with what Estel thought was an unseemly amount of amusement.

Elrohir looked amused as well, but he put one hand on Legolas' arm and the other on Elladan's shoulder.

"Calm down, both of you. We can take this discussion up later. You're still angry, Dan, and Legolas, you are in pain – there's no point denying it – and you will both just say things you will regret later. Calm _down_."

Neither Legolas nor Elladan seemed remotely inclined to calm down, and there was no telling what would have happened had Estel not chosen that moment to say, "Hello, elfling."

The four elves turned to him, Legolas looking appalled.

"_Elfling?_"

Estel flushed, but before he could apologize, Elrohir said, "Naturally. As long as you behave like one, what else do you expect us to call you? Come and sit, Estel."

Elladan moved to make place for the young human, very careful not to look in Legolas' direction as he did so. Legolas was avoiding Elladan's eyes equally assiduously, and it was in a grim, uncomfortable silence that Estel lowered himself to the ground between his brother and the elven prince.

"Are you still going to give me archery lessons?" Legolas looked startled. "You said you would."

The elf chuckled.

"Of course, _penneth_. We can even start now –"

"No," Elladan said firmly.

"Or perhaps in an hour when I am better rested –"

"_No._"

"What _can_ I do, then?" Legolas demanded.

"Talk about archery," Elladan replied calmly.

"_Talk_ about archery? Do you think –"

The rest of Legolas' sentence was cut off by Arbellason, who ran inside and said urgently, "Thranduil – they're coming."

Legolas tried to get up again, and this time it was Estel who held him down.

"You're in no condition to fight," the human said, prompting laughter from all the elves except the outraged prince.

"You see, _tithen gwador_," Elrohir said, chortling helplessly. "Even a child like Estel can tell that you are injured. The two of you stay here quietly, and let us deal with this." Seeing that Estel was about to protest, Elrohir drew the young man to his feet and pulled him away. "Somebody needs to stay here and see that the elfling behaves," he said softly. "And since he is likely to be politest to you, you're the one with the best chance of doing it!"

"I heard that!" Legolas said irritably.

"You were meant to."

Thranduil shook his head and got to his feet.

"Legolas, I'm sending Rochendilwen in to see you – she will want to fight, and I do not want to prevent her, but you should talk to her first."

* * *

Rochendilwen, whetting the blade of one of her knives, was summoned from the task by Thranduil.

"My king?"

"Legolas wants to see you."

She flushed.

"My king, I _will_ fight. He cannot prevent me –"

"He is your commanding officer, _penneth_," Thranduil said mildly. "All he wants is to talk to you."

Rochendilwen nodded and ducked into the cave, where she found Legolas sitting up with some help from the young human. She raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Did somebody give you permission to sit?"

"I do not need permission to sit," Legolas said. "Are you sure you want to fight?"

"Yes," the _elleth_ said firmly. "You cannot dissuade me, elfling. I must do this."

"You cannot kill him. You know that."

"Why not? I am perfectly capable of defeating him, and if I ever had any love for him, his own actions have destroyed it."

"Rochendilwen, _sidh_. I was not disputing your ability. But whatever he has done, he is your brother, and you cannot be the one to end his life."

"I disown him," the _elleth_ muttered. "He is no brother to me."

"I'm not telling you not to fight – fight if you must. Fight _Bregolien _if you must. But do not kill him unless you are in the last extreme of defending your own life."

"How can you say this? After all he has done to the realm and done to _you_, you defend him!"

"I am not defending him! For his crimes he will answer to my father's law – to _our_ law, Rochendilwen. And even if he _is_ to die in battle, it is not meant to be by your hand. You know this."

Rochendilwen scowled.

"You are not even fighting this time, Legolas. You have no right to give me orders. By _our_ law."

"Quite right," Legolas said. "I don't. Feel perfectly free to ignore me."

For a full minute Rochendilwen held his gaze defiantly, and then she flushed and dropped her eyes, muttering, "You and your big blue eyes! You know I will not disobey you, elfling."

* * *

As the _elleth_ left, Estel asked, "Bregolien is _her_ brother?"

"Yes, _penneth_."

"Dan and Ro told me what he did." He noticed that Legolas' breathing was getting laboured, and shifted his grip so that he was giving the elf more support. "Is that better?"

"_Mae…_ _Le hannon._"

Estel smiled.

"_Ada _is teaching me to be a healer. He says it is something every warrior must know."

"Lord Elrond is wise."

"Legolas?"

"Yes?"

"Why don't you want her to kill Bregolien?"

There was a moment's silence while Legolas considered his answer. Finally he said, "The elves of Eryn Lasgalen have been accused of many things – we are less wise, less noble and perhaps even less valiant than our kin to the south and to the west. But never has one of my father's subjects been accused of kinslaying – to an elf that is a truly abhorrent crime."

Estel nodded.

"I think my _naneth_ would like to meet you."

"I would be honoured to meet her."

Estel heard the pain in the elf's voice, and in an attempt to distract him, said, "How long have you commanded the Colhador?"

Legolas frowned in thought.

"We do not reckon time as humans do… Perhaps a thousand years. I took over when Thorontur decided that he was getting too wise and ancient to ride out to battle."

"Thorontur used to command the Colhador? I didn't know that!"

"He took command of the Colhador before my parents' wedding, I think. _Ada_ hoped that he would command it as long as we remained in Middle-earth."

* * *

Rochendilwen shifted uncomfortably, aware of Aeroniel's eyes on her.

"I am fine."

"Indeed."

"I _am_ fine, Aeroniel!"

"I never suggested otherwise." Aeroniel leapt nimbly onto a boulder and peered into the trees. "They will be here in a few minutes." She raised her voice. "Defensive positions! We have to end this quickly!"

The archers, their numbers augmented by Eredhion, Voronwë and the twins, strung themselves out in a loose line. Arbellason and Thranduil stood behind them, also with bows ready. As Aeroniel jumped to the ground and took her place in the line, Arbellason said, "We have the high ground. That will work in our favour. Hold the line as long as you can."

Rochendilwen shivered, hoping nobody had noticed.

And then the cloaked riders burst from the trees.

* * *

"Can you tell what's happening?" Estel asked.

Legolas raised his head briefly.

"The trees seem cheerful enough, so I suppose we're winning. I can't tell exactly what they're saying from here." He shot the human a sidelong glance and went on in a carefully casual tone, "We could go outside and try to get a closer look."

Estel grinned.

"I was warned about this! No, elfling, we could _not_ go outside. Dan and Ro would have my head! And yours, for that matter." Legolas sighed heavily, prompting a chuckle from Estel. "You should not have run away."

The elf scowled.

"I did not run away. I – I went for a walk."

"A walk? In the middle of the night, with your pack and your weapons, without a word to anybody? Forgive me if I do not quite understand the difference." Estel's grip tightened marginally. "I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened to you, elfling."

"Estel, I am a warrior of Eryn Lasgalen. Every day when I leave my room I know I might not return."

"So you stop taking the most elementary care of yourself? You deliberately walk into danger?"

Legolas groaned.

"I thought _you_ at least would spare me the lecture."

"I was terrified," Estel said softly. "And if _I_ was terrified, I cannot begin to imagine what Dan and Ro and your father were feeling."

"I left specific instructions that nobody was to worry," the elf muttered.

Estel laughed.

"With your leave, elfling, I think I would like to be present when you tell my brothers that you left specific instructions that nobody was to worry. I might learn more Quenya that way."

"You can do as you please," Legolas said, "provided you tell Lord Elrond that I had nothing to do with any – _interesting_ – additions to your vocabulary."

* * *

Bregolien, riding in after the last of his soldiers, smiled at the sight of the elves.

"And so it begins." He raised his sword and brandished it, shouting, "How long will you stand, Thranduil? I will have my vengeance, and you will see your beloved son dead by my hand before the sun rises."

* * *

**Sindarin Translations**

_Elleth_ - Female elf

_Nana_ - Mum/Mummy

_Namárië _- Goodbye

_Ada_ - Dad/Daddy

_Penneth_ - Young one

_Tithen gwador_ - Little (sworn) brother

_Sidh_ - Peace

_Mae_ - Yes (Well)

_Le hannon_ - Thank you

_Naneth_ - Mother

* * *

Good? Bad? Indifferent?


	15. Confrontation

**DISCLAIMER:** Nothing belongs to me.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This was the hardest chapter to write, so far... I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think.

Thanks to Calathiel of Mirkwood, Calenlass Greenleaf1, OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, Lady Ambreanna, Arwen Granger, ProRodeoCowgirl and Martiny the one and only still for reviewing.

* * *

**CHAPTER 15: Confrontation**

Rochendilwen was trying to force herself not to think about the last time she had seen her brother, but it was proving difficult. She had not known, then, that he had been corrupted by the Necromancer. She had bidden him a tearful farewell and extracted a promise that he would return safely.

And then one night she had been woken by the sound of hoofbeats and anxious voices, and had run outside to see Elrohir carrying an unconscious Legolas up the palace steps. There had followed endless days when Thranduil never seemed to leave the healing wards and she had numerous quiet conversations with her aunt by the fireside. At the end of it Rochendilwen had found herself hating Bregolien with a fervour that nobody else, not even Legolas, could match. He had brought shame on himself, on her, on their entire family.

She shook herself.

Brooding could wait. Now there was a battle to be fought, and she was a warrior of Eryn Lasgalen.

"Don't think," Aeroniel said softly, not turning to look at her. "Just shoot. Like practice with Thorontur. You'll be fine."

Rochendilwen nodded and raised her bow.

"_Dartho!_" Arbellason called. Rochendilwen sighted one of the approaching riders. She drew back the string, waiting, waiting...

"Fire!"

Almost before the word was out of the commander's mouth Rochendilwen had loosed the arrow and was groping for the next. She concentrated on the nearest Men and orcs, not even trying to see who was commanding them.

In minutes the riders were upon them and Aeroniel was shouting, "Knives!"

Rochendilwen slid her bow into its sheath and drew her knives. Neither the Men nor the orcs could come close to matching an elf's speed and skill, but there were so many of them that she was hard-pressed to keep their blades from reaching her.

She spun and slashed, cut and thrust, not thinking about anything other than the heat of the battle. And then without warning when she whirled and brought down her knives they were met with resistance and the clash of steel on steel.

"Stay still," a painfully familiar voice said. "_You_ I do not want to hurt."

Rochendilwen stared up at her brother, forgetting that she was supposed to be fighting for her life and the freedom of her people. She could not make out his expression, but his eyes were sparkling in the depths of his hood.

"I never thought _this_ would be how you came back, Bregolien."

"You do not seem pleased to see me."

"I would have been _pleased_ if I had never seen you again."

"Do not be a fool! The Sindar have turned you into one, with their idealism and their perpetual moping and their songs about how much better things are in the West. You cannot remember our father's people; you were too young when we left them. _They_ know how to live."

"How to live? They are _evil_."

Rochendilwen lowered her knives and raised them suddenly, trying to get past Bregolien's guard. He blocked her with no apparent effort.

"Evil, _penneth_? You forget that they are your kin, just as they are mine. They have as much right to your loyalty as Thranduil."

"_Law!_" Rochendilwen said sharply. "I claim no kinship with any who have allied themselves with the Deceiver – not even with you."

"Haven't you heard his voice?" Bregolien asked softly. "No matter. You will. He knows, you see. He knows you, as he knew me; he knows that you have the blood of the Avari –"

"I have _not_!"

Rochendilwen attacked again and was blocked again.

"Why do you go on denying it? It is no shame to refuse to be imprisoned in Valinor by the Ainur. Sauron recognizes your wisdom –"

"_Sedho!_"

Bregolien knocked her blade aside without breaking step.

"He knows that you have been misguided, but when it is explained to you, you will understand. You and I are not idiots like the Silvans or cowards like the Sindar. We have the blood of a stronger race –"

"I will be no kin to you!"

"That is hardly something you can help, _penneth_. Oh, you are angry now, but once I have you away from Thranduil's corrupting influence you will see that I am right."

"I will _never_ do what you have done!"

"Won't you?"

"You killed the queen!"

"So I did." Bregolien nodded in the middle of parrying one of Rochendilwen's knives.

"You tried to kill Legolas –"

"And I failed." Bregolien grimaced. "A mistake that I intend to remedy today. Don't you see that it must be done?"

"I see _nothing_. You are mad!"

"You will help me do it."

"Legolas is my friend!"

"And your commander." The older elf nodded. "I heard. I hear a lot. I know all about how Thranduil put the insufferable elfling in command of the Colhador. He told you not to kill me, didn't he?"

"How did you –"

"It's the kind of thing Lindariel would have done. Or Thranduil himself, for that matter. Can you not see that it is a sign of his weakness? He is as much of a fool as his father. That is why you must help me kill him."

Rochendilwen launched a furious and unwise attack. Bregolien sighed.

"You still let your emotions control you. We can deal with that, once I have you away from here –"

"I am going nowhere with you!"

"You will come, because eventually you will realize that I am right. You share my blood, Rochendilwen, whether you like it or not. Our father's blood. You call it evil, but you know – yes, you _do_ know – that it is _in_ you. Dormant. Waiting. Call it evil if you wish. I call it wisdom."

"You _lie._"

"Do I? Have you never thought, even for a moment, that Legolas is a young idiot?"

"Everyone knows that Legolas is a young idiot," Rochendilwen said despite herself.

"And you have argued with him on occasion, I do not doubt."

"Of course, but –"

"Don't you think Eryn Lasgalen would be better off with someone else in his stead? Someone just as skilled an archer, just as brave, but wiser. More sensible."

"Who?"

Bregolien laughed.

"_You._"

* * *

Legolas cocked his head.

"Something's wrong."

"What?" Estel asked.

"I can't tell exactly. The trees are trying to warn me about something, I think. They seem to sense... turmoil."

* * *

"You have lost your mind," Rochendilwen gasped, her arms falling to her sides. "You seek to corrupt me – "

"Corrupt you?" Bregolien glanced around to check that all the other elves were still fully occupied with the battle. "I am trying to make you see sense. Do you want what is best for the race of elves or not?"

"Yes, but –"

"Then there must be sacrifices!"

"_Sedho!_ I will not let you corrupt my mind."

"_Think_ about it. Somebody sensible as heir to the throne, somebody who would _not_ be having nightmares about an incident that happened two thousand years ago –"

"_No!_"

"You are my sister. I know you better than any other possibly could. You know I am right, _penneth_. Admit it to yourself, at least. You know that the line of Oropher is unfit to hold _any_ throne –"

"Be _silent!_"

"Would any king worth the name have led his household to disaster on the slopes of Orodruin? You know this as well as I do. Thranduil must go. The easiest way to get to him is through his beloved son."

Rochendilwen took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief.

"How can you say these things?"

"Because they are true! Legolas has every cause to hate me and yet he told you not to kill me. What is that if not folly? You are letting your affection for the Sindar blind you to their weaknesses. You and I can be so much better than they are, Rochendilwen. Why will you not see this? If you feel you have a duty to the Silvans, then give them a ruler who is worthy of the throne!"

* * *

"Help me up."

Estel stared at the elf prince.

"Don't be ridiculous. Dan and Ro would never let me hear the end of it. _Ever._ You are staying here, elfling."

"I have to see what's happening. The trees are far more disturbed than they ought to be."

"There are enough elves to deal with it."

"If they were dealing with it the trees wouldn't be worried. Help me up, Estel, _saes_."

"No," Estel said, looking Legolas firmly in the eye.

"Estel, please," the elf begged. "I cannot do this without your help. _Please. _You would not refuse me?" Estel hesitated. "_Please._"

"All right," the human said with a sigh. "But I _know_ I'll regret this."

* * *

Rochendilwen shuddered.

"Do not seek to corrupt me as you have been corrupted –"

"Do you think I do not know you? You are more like me than you will admit. Practical. Reasonable. You know, as I do, that what I suggest is necessary if the Eldar are to survive in Middle-earth."

With a cry of anger, Rochendilwen flung herself at her brother. Driven by rage and frustration, she was moving faster than she had ever moved before in her life, and even Bregolien, experienced warrior though he was, was barely managing to keep her knives from doing him irreparable damage.

"You lie," she hissed through clenched teeth. "And lie and _lie_. I am nothing like you and I never will be!"

He laughed, although he sounded a little breathless.

Neither noticed the sounds of battle growing more desperate around them.

* * *

Arbellason looked around, scarcely able to believe their good fortune. They were winning; of that there was no doubt. A couple of the elves were moving more slowly, as though they were injured, but it did not seem to be serious and as long as they managed to end it quickly they should be able to return to the stronghold without any casualties.

He glanced Rochendilwen and Bregolien. They seemed oblivious to everything else. Rochendilwen was doing well, all things considered, but Arbellason could tell that it was only a matter of time before she lost.

Arbellason estimated the distance he would have to go to reach them. They were not that far, but there were too many orcs and Men in the way – he would never get to them in time. Aeroniel, a few feet away, seemed to have come to the same conclusion. She set an arrow to her bow and drew it, but she did not fire.

"What's wrong?" Elladan or Elrohir – Arbellason could not tell which – asked.

"They're too close to each other. I can't get a clear shot."

Whichever twin it was nodded, and began to cut through the throng of orcs. Arbellason, sheathing his knives and drawing his sword, joined him.

* * *

Estel took most of Legolas' weight as they made their way to the cave mouth. It was not difficult – the elf was light – but it made him clumsier than usual. He hoped none of the attackers would find their way into the cave.

"Give me my bow," Legolas gasped.

Estel, who was carrying both bow and quiver, shook his head.

"Don't be ridiculous. You can't possibly manage to hold it."

"Why are we going out, then? To watch?"

"I promised my brothers I'd make sure you didn't do anything stupid," Estel mumbled unhappily. "And you are not fit to fight."

"I cannot stand by and do nothing. I will not let them see me – at least, I will _try_ not to let them see me – but I can shoot from cover if necessary. Give me the bow, _penneth_, _saes_."

Estel sighed.

"I'll end up doing it anyway, won't I?"

"That is likely, yes."

Without a word, the human handed the bow to the elven prince.

"_Le hannon, mellon nîn._"

"Don't mention it," Estel muttered.

* * *

Rochendilwen knew she was losing. She had known from the very beginning that her strength would give out before her brother's did. She would not have been breaking her promise to Legolas if she had killed Bregolien now, but however fiercely she fought she could not get close to nicking him.

Bregolien, infuriatingly, was smiling.

"You see?" he grunted. "You cannot kill me. You're not even really trying. The Sindar have made you soft, Rochendilwen. You do not belong with them."

"You will not turn me!"

"Won't I?"

As though the words were a catalyst, Bregolien's attacks suddenly redoubled, and Rochendilwen found herself falling back under the assault. She backed, step by step, until she felt the solid bulk of an oak tree trunk behind her and knew that she had no further to go.

Bregolien laughed, and now she heard an edge of madness.

"Won't I turn you? You are too much like our mother. She could not see, either."

"Don't you _dare_ –"

But now not all Rochendilwen's fury could match her brother's experience and skill. His sword was at her throat, there was no way she could throw him off, and his crazed eyes were looking into hers.

She shivered. Had those eyes been the last thing her mother had seen? She had never been able to remember her father, but she had always been told that her brother had his eyes.

The knife pressed closer, and Rochendilwen knew that nothing would save her now – unless she consented to her brother's plan. She tightened her grip on her knives.

Then Bregolien's eyes widened suddenly, and he stumbled back and fell to his knees. After a moment of disorientation, Rochendilwen realized that he had an arrow protruding from his leg behind his knee.

She glanced in the direction from which the arrow must have come, and saw Legolas, supported by the young human, slowly lowering his bow.

She turned back to her brother, and raised her knives.

* * *

**Sindarin Translations**

_Dartho!_ - Hold!

_Penneth _– Young one

_Law _– No

_Sedho!_ - Silence!

_Saes _– Please

_Le hannon, mellon nîn. _- Thank you, my friend.

* * *

Well? What do you think? Please review!


	16. Going Home

**DISCLAIMER: **Everything is his.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Two weeks on a cliffie! I promise I didn't mean to do that. Hides But work became very hectic and I couldn't update according to schedule last week.

Here it is at last; I hope it's worth the wait (and that nobody's given up on me in the meantime:))!

Thanks to Martiny the one and only still, OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, Writing Destiny, ProRodeoCowgirl, Calenlass Greenleaf1, invisigoth3, Calathiel of Mirkwood, ArwenGranger and Light of ones Heart for reviewing.

* * *

**CHAPTER 16: Going Home  
**

"Rochendilwen, _no!_"

The shout had come from Aeroniel; Rochendilwen ignored it. Nobody could blame her for killing him now, not even Legolas. Bregolien had tried to kill her, and worse, to corrupt her.

"Go on," Bregolien said softly. "Do it. You _want_ to kill me, don't you?"

"Yes," Rochendilwen growled. "I do. You deserve no better."

"Quite right, _penneth_. And you are not a sentimental Sindarin fool. Do it, and have your satisfaction."

Rochendilwen clutched the hilts of her knives tighter.

"I _will_."

"Do it."

"Rochendilwen!" That was Aeroniel again, much nearer this time. "Don't do it! Don't make yourself a murderer for his sake. He isn't worth it."

Rochendilwen hesitated.

"Do it," Bregolien urged again, eyes sparkling with malice.

Rochendilwen swallowed and lowered her blades.

"No." Bregolien stared at her, his eyes dark and inscrutable. She took a step back and sheathed her knives. "I will not do it."

"Then you are an idiot," the older elf said simply, as he was hauled to his feet by a pair of soldiers.

* * *

"Fool of a Sinda," Elladan growled, stalking into the cave. Estel quaked inwardly at the sight of his foster-brother's furious face, and had he not been supporting Legolas as he sat, he would have sidled behind him.

Legolas scowled.

"Oh, forgive me for touching my bow. I am _only_ an archer."

"An _injured_ archer," the older elf snapped. "And if you're not more careful you'll soon be a dead archer!"

"A tiny cut – "

"_Tiny?_ I'd have thought you haven't yet been wandering aimlessly in the forest long enough to have lost your mind completely –"

"Barely a scratch," Legolas went on, ignoring Elladan completely.

Elladan stalked forward, dropped to his knees and gripped the elf prince by the shoulders – carefully.

"Barely a scratch? You cannot even stand up by yourself –"

"I am perfectly fine."

"Forget standing, you cannot even _sit_ by yourself."

"Of course I can sit by myself! In case you failed to notice, I just shot my bow by myself."

"And you've probably made your injuries worse in the process! All I ask is that you occasionally behave like you have at least a semblance of intelligence, but you –"

"Oh, you're a fine one to talk! I remember Lord Elrond telling about the time you and Ro were visiting Lórien and you snuck into –"

"Leave me out of this!" Elrohir protested. "I am sitting here quietly not arguing with either of you."

Elladan shot his twin brother a dirty look.

"Yes, sneak off like you always do and leave _me_ to deal with the half-witted elfling!"

"Actually," Elrohir said, getting to his feet, "I have changed my mind. I am not sitting here quietly. I am going outside to see if Thranduil and Arbellason need any help. Estel, call me when the storm has died down."

He slipped out. Legolas and Elladan stayed silent until he had left the cave, but as soon as he was out they began again.

"I am _not_ an elfling – "

"I have _never_ seen such foolishness! First you run away in the middle of the night without a word to anybody – "

"I was not running away! I needed to clear my head."

"Oh, you needed to clear your head. I see. That explains everything. You needed to clear your head, and so without sparing a thought for all the rest of us you just ran off into the forest without leaving _any_ word."

"I told the trees to tell you not to worry!"

Elladan snorted.

"Yes, and look how _that_ turned out."

"I am fine."

"I give up," Elladan growled. "I am not going to spend the rest of eternity worrying about you when _you_ don't spare a thought for any of us!"

* * *

Barely had Elladan stalked out when Aeroniel and Rochendilwen came in. A look at their faces told Estel that his presence was not entirely welcome. He glanced at Legolas, received a nod of confirmation, and slipped out.

He found Elladan and Elrohir outside, tending to the wounded. He wandered over to see if he could help.

"No," Elladan said curtly. "Sit down."

Estel sat back on his heels, watching his oldest brother wrap a bandage around an elf's arm. Elladan himself had several cuts on his forearms, but they seemed shallow, and he waved away Estel's offers of assistance.

"Let him be," Elrohir murmured softly. "Best he works his temper off on Legolas and not on us. At least the elfling deserves it!"

Estel almost felt sorry for Greenwood's prince.

"What do Rochendilwen and Aeroniel want to talk to him about?"

Elrohir looked startled.

"They're with Legolas?"

Estel nodded.

"Then we should tell Thranduil. Rochendilwen will be upset – _more_ than upset – and I don't think Legolas is in the best condition to deal with it."

* * *

"_Le hannon_," Rochendilwen said softly.

Legolas looked from her to Aeroniel; finding no answers in the face of either _elleth_, he said, "What is wrong?"

"I was tempted. He was right, Legolas. I _am_ like him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Outside. He – he was trying to make me follow his path. I didn't – I would never actually have done it but I was tempted, just for a moment. He made it sound so easy. He even made it sound _right_."

"Wiser elves than you have been seduced by the Necromancer, _penneth_. You have no reason to be ashamed."

Rochendilwen and Aeroniel scrambled to their feet to greet Thranduil, who had just entered.

"My king," Rochendilwen stammered. "I – I didn't mean –"

"_Sîdh_," Thranduil said, sounding amused. "You are very young, and you still have much to learn, _penneth_. Any elf would have been tempted; Bregolien is now an ally of Sauron, who has deceived even the wisest of our kind in days past. But you resisted temptation, and for that you should be proud of yourself."

Aeroniel smiled.

"Exactly what I was trying to tell her, my king. But she refused to listen to _me_. In fact, she came here with the idea of giving up her bow and knives permanently."

"_What?_" Legolas yelped.

Rochendilwen rounded on him and addressed him with considerably less deference than she had shown Thranduil.

"You cannot refuse," she said furiously. "I dare not trust myself with my weapons now. I do not know what I might do!"

Legolas looked helplessly at his father, who shrugged and gave him a look that said very clearly, "_You_ are her commander. _You_ deal with it."

"You cannot make this decision on impulse," Legolas said, trying to sound reasonable. "You are distraught."

"I _have_ made my decision!"

"You can't spring it on me when I'm gravely injured," Legolas protested, prompting both Thranduil and Rochendilwen to stare at him in shock while Aeroniel pretended to choke.

"Repeat that," Aeroniel commanded.

Legolas flushed when he realized what he'd just said.

"I – that is –"

"You're not _fine_, then, _tithen pen_?" Thranduil demanded sternly.

"No, no, I _am_ fine –"

"So I can resign?" Rochendilwen asked, unable to resist.

"_No!_ No, I'm not _that_ fine."

"Not that fine," Aeroniel repeated expressionlessly. "I must confess myself at a loss, elfling. How fine is _that_ fine?"

"What I mean is that..."

"Yes?" the two _ellith_ chorused sweetly.

"I – I am fine. Mostly. But I am slightly injured. Just a scrape."

"Legolas, either you are fine or you are not," Thranduil said. "Decide on _one_ of them and do not change your mind until we have returned to the stronghold."

"I am not seriously injured enough to need to be stuck in a cave doing nothing," Legolas said, "but I _am_ hurt badly enough to need a complete lack of unpleasant surprises to aid my return to full health."

Aeroniel and Thranduil exchanged glances and burst out laughing, while Rochendilwen, sighing deeply, said, "Very well, we will discuss it later."

* * *

It was morning when Arbellason finally decreed that all was ready and everyone was sufficiently well rested to begin the trip back to the stronghold. Legolas let out a sigh of relief – he had spent the past few hours been lectured by his father, Elrohir and Arbellason in turns – and got to his feet with some help from Eredhion.

"You will ride with me," Thranduil commanded as they left the cave.

Legolas stopped short, nearly causing Eredhion to fall over, and turned to his father in consternation.

"_Ride?_"

"Yes, Legolas," the king said with a sigh. "That is what it is called when you mount a horse and it walks, trots, canters or gallops with you on its back."

"I know what riding is!"

"Then why are we standing here discussing it?"

"I will not _ride_ back to the stronghold!"

Thranduil looked questioningly at Eredhion, who said hastily, "Nothing to do with me, my king! I have no idea what he means."

"Legolas?"

"I will go back the way I came."

"_Walk?_" Thranduil asked in disbelief.

"Through the trees," Legolas protested defensively. "I am unlikely to meet anything dangerous since Bregolien will be with you –"

"_Don't say it_," his father hissed angrily. "Every time you say that something happens. In any case, the possibility your meeting dangerous creatures is not the primary cause for concern now. What worries me is that by the time you have walked a league you will fall over from exhaustion, reopen your wounds and –"

"I will be fine."

"Legolas, let us have no argument about this."

"The trees will not let me fall! You know that, _Ada_."

"That is not the point! You are injured, and if you insist on..."

Thranduil trailed off, looking at something over Legolas' head. The elf prince tried to turn and see what had interested his father, but before he could he felt himself lifted off the ground by a pair of strong arms, and then he was sitting on a horse's back with the same hands holding him very firmly in place.

"Ride with me, elfling," Elladan said, resisting Legolas' attempts to wriggle out of his grip. "I'll let you hold the reins."

Legolas chuckled unwillingly, Elladan's words reminding him of a day when a very small elfling, shrieking with delight, had sat in front of Elrohir on _his_ horse as the twin sons of Elrond galloped wildly through the woods around Imladris, splashing through streams and jumping over fallen trees on their way to the Last Homely House. (Legolas had not learnt until many years later that the twins had been quite severely scolded by Lady Celebrían afterwards.)

As Elladan urged the horse to a gentle trot that did not jolt Legolas too much, Elrohir and Estel fell in on either side of them.

"Isn't this how we taught you to ride, elfling?" Elrohir asked. "Don't tell me you've forgotten!"

"I don't think he ever really learnt," Elladan mused. "What else would you expect from a Sinda? Spending all his time talking to trees –"

"Unlike the Noldor, who spend all their time reading books," Legolas muttered.

"At any rate _we_ did not spend all our time reading books," Elrohir said cheerfully. "We spent at least an equal amount of time teaching Greenwood's little prince to shoot."

"He was terrible, you know, Estel," Elladan said. "_Now_ he can pass himself off as an archer if there are no _real_ archers around to challenge him, but when he was younger he could not have hit an oliphaunt at two yards."

"Whereas your brother and I," Elrohir went on, "could always shoot straight. Don't laugh, Legolas, you'll tear open the stitches."

**

* * *

Sindarin Translations**

_Penneth_ – Young one

_Le hannon_ – Thank you

_Sîdh_ – Peace

_Tithen pen_ – Little one

_Elleth_ (plural _ellith_) – Female elf

* * *

Good? Bad? Too terrible to contemplate?


	17. Home

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing. (How I wish that one day that would change.)

Thanks to OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, Celrena, XoLikeWoahxO, Martiny the one and only still, Calathiel of Mirkwood, ArwenGranger, Lady Ambreanna, The Doctors In and Anonymous Sister of the Author for reviewing.

Thanks also to my wonderful beta, Calenlass, for editing the lament for Legolas' mother – there's just a verse here.

* * *

**CHAPTER 17: Home**

Legolas was not entirely certain when he had fallen asleep; he woke to find himself still on Elladan's horse, with the gates of the stronghold looming ahead.

"_Daro!_" a voice called as they neared the gate, and Legolas felt Elladan's grip tighten fractionally. "Declare yourself."

"Elladan Elrondion," Elladan called back. "And I have your prince. If you do not give me every last gold piece, jewel and treasure in your realm this instant, I'll give him back to you."

"Dan," Legolas protested weakly, chuckling.

"Hush, elfling. I'm trying to conduct hostage negotiations. Don't disturb me."

Legolas caught Estel's eye and they both started laughing, interrupted only when Thranduil rode up next to Elladan and said loudly, "Thranduil Oropherion and _I am in a hurry_." He cast Legolas and Elladan a sidelong glance. "I need to have a long conversation with my son."

Legolas swallowed.

"Dan, you can have all the treasures I possess. Please take me to Imladris now."

Elladan smirked.

"I wouldn't dream of it, _tithen gwador_. I have been waiting for this moment ever since you ran away – don't argue, elfling; you _did_ run away."

* * *

Elladan, Elrohir and Estel were in a clearing near the stronghold with the rest of the Imladris elves. After they had taken Legolas up to his room Thranduil had entered wearing an expression of doom, and the one mortal and two elven sons of Elrond had left as quickly as they could.

They had gone outdoors to find a feast being arranged. ("Anything to keep everyone's mind off Bregolien," Arbellason had said. "Although I do not think this will be as joyous an occasion as the welcoming feast we had for you. He has brought back too many difficult memories.")

They were sitting, now, around the edges of the clearing, while a great bonfire burnt in its centre. On the other side of the clearing some of the Greenwood Elves were singing, but not the cheerfull, merry songs that Estel normally associated with Wood-elves. Their songs were sad and mournful, and as they sang more than one elf glanced in the direction of the stronghold.

* * *

In Legolas' room only two candles had been lit, and the king and his son sat in near-darkness and complete silence. Legolas wanted to say nothing that might set off his father's temper, and Thranduil was uncertain whether he wanted to hug his son or strangle him.

"I'm sorry, _Ada_," Legolas said finally. "I did not intend to worry you."

"You never do," Thranduil said dryly. He eyed the young elf; Legolas was sitting in an armchair by the hearth holding a cup of the wine Galion had brought up to them before departing for the feast. "Legolas."

Legolas looked up at his father nervously. Thranduil reached forward and plucked the cup out of his son's hand. He set it on a nearby table and said, "Come outside."

Looking puzzled, Legolas let his father help him to his feet and out to the balcony. In the distance they could see the faint glow of bonfires marking the spot where the elves were feasting, and the sound of singing was borne to them, very faintly, on the breeze.

"We cannot stay here long," Thranduil said, "or the healers will have my head for permitting it. But it was stuffy inside. Legolas..." Thranduil gave his son's shoulders a squeeze. "I hope you did not take to heart what I said that day. I was worried, about the realm and about you, and I spoke rashly."

Legolas smiled faintly.

"I know, _Ada_."

"I love you, _penneth_."

"I know, _Ada_. I love you too."

"Good," Thranduil said with a grim smile. "Now that _that_ is out of the way, I will express my opinion of your rash and foolish conduct."

Legolas paled. "_Ada_, remember I am injured."

* * *

Estel shivered, something of the elves' melancholy mood getting to him.

"Do you think Thranduil and Legolas have finished their talk yet?"

"I hope for Legolas' sake that they have," Elladan said, glancing back down the path to the stronghold.

"So do I," Elrohir said, not raising his eyes from the bonfire. "Because once Thranduil is done _I_ am going to talk to Legolas."

"You?" Elladan said, laughing. "Good luck, Ro! You have never been able to stay stern for two consecutive minutes when it comes to Legolas."

"Of course I have! Don't you remember the time with the warg –"

"All right, then, once. In two and a half thousand years, _once_. The trouble is that you start out too mildly."

"I try to be reasonable."

"You should know better by now. There's no point being reasonable with Legolas; he'll just look very contrite and pay you absolutely no heed at all. You have to get him on the defensive right in the beginning, without giving him any chance to make big eyes."

Estel grinned, but only half-heartedly. Elladan smiled at him.

"Go and talk to Legolas if you want, Estel. The path will be safe; there will be elves coming and going on it all night."

"But – if he's talking to his father –"

"Legolas and Thranduil _live_ here, _tithen pen_," Elrohir said, looking amused. "Thranduil can lecture him from now to Yule if he is so minded. He will not begrudge you some time with his son."

Estel got to his feet slowly. As he did so his ears caught a snatch of song from across the clearing.

_With knife and falchion and with bow_

_The soldier holds the shadow back,_

_But you, sweet queen, were graced to know_

_The weapons that the archers lack._

"It is a lament for Lindariel," Elrohir explained at Estel's puzzled glance. "Legolas' mother."

Estel nodded and started down the path, listening to the song as he made his way back to the stronghold of the elven king.

* * *

Legolas and Thranduil were sitting by the hearth again, Legolas wearing an expression of sulky stubbornness that his father knew well and was watching with more than a little amusement.

He was about to say something, but a knock at the door interrupted him. Surprised, because he knew that the only elves not at the feast were those on patrol or guard duty, Thranduil went and opened it.

The young human was standing outside, his eyes very wide and nervous.

"Estel? Is something wrong?"

"No, my King," Estel said softly. "I – I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just wanted to talk to Legolas... if you're finished..."

Thranduil smiled. "Talk to him all you please, _penneth_." He opened the door to let the young man enter, and then crossed the room swiftly to lay a hand on his son's shoulder. "Legolas, sleep well. I am going to see what havoc is being wreaked at the feast. I will talk to you tomorrow."

"Good night, _Ada_."

As the door closed behind the elven king, Estel dropped into the chair he had just vacated.

* * *

For a time the human and the elf sat in silence, listening to the wind in the trees. Finally Estel, looking at Legolas with dread in his eyes, said, "If you can forgive me –"

"There is nothing to forgive, Estel," Legolas said quietly.

"But I – I said all those terrible things! And I know you and Dan and Ro have always been like brothers, and you would risk your life for them. But I was so scared, and I said –"

"You did not mean what you said, and I should have known that."

"I should not have said what I did. I am too old for tantrums!"

"How old are you, Estel? Twelve?"

Despite himself, Estel let out a grudging chuckle. "Seventeen."

"Seventeen, and already too old for temper tantrums." Legolas smiled a mirthful smile at the young human. "_Mellon nîn_, I am more than two thousand years old. Should I not be too old for running away?"

"Why did you?" Estel asked.

"Run away?"

"Yes."

Legolas sighed.

"Thunderstorms bring back bad memories for me, Estel… Many, many years ago, my _naneth_ was killed in the middle of one."

"Dan and Ro told me everything... I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I was awake… If I'd known storms upset you, I would have come."

"I know."

"I was terrified that you would die."

"So was I," Legolas admitted. "No matter how dark the world may seem, we do not like the thought of the Halls of Mandos."

"What? You said you were fine!"

Legolas shrugged, grinning.

"Can you imagine how much your brothers would have fussed over me if I had said anything else?"

"Legolas! Are you –"

"I'm fine!"

"You just said –"

"I am _really_ fine, Estel. After you and your brothers left, the healers came with several unpleasant-tasting potions. After all that I went through drinking them I refuse _not_ to be fine. It would be a heroic effort gone completely to waste."

Estel grinned and cast around in his mind for a more cheerful topic. Finally he said, "Why haven't you been to Imladris for so long? Dan and Ro said you used to come every year."

"So I did, _penneth_," Legolas said, settling more comfortably into the armchair. "And I suppose I should never have stopped. Imladris is a haven of peace – one of the few now left in Middle-earth." Then he sighed. "But darkness descends on these woods. I could not bring myself to leave – not when there was so much to be done. How could I run to Imladris and peace when the elves here faced orcs and spiders and worse dangers daily?"

"Even you are entitled to rest," Estel said. "I doubt the elves here want you to wear yourself out fighting to keep them safe."

Legolas smiled a little drowsily. "You are wise, _tithen pen_."

"And you should be sleeping," Elrohir's voice said from the doorway.

"Didn't Lord Elrond ever teach you to knock?" Legolas asked as the twins came in.

"Yes, but politeness is wasted on you," Elrohir said. "Legolas, of all the ridiculous –"

"Please don't, Ro," Legolas cut in. "I've already had that lecture from Dan and from _Ada_. I do not need to hear it again. If you want I will repeat it to you point by point."

"Legolas, listen to me. I am only trying to point out that –"

"_This_ is what you always do wrong," Elladan muttered, as Legolas, looking as repentful as only the _most_ sinful of _ellyn_ could look, mumbled an apology. Elrohir let out a sigh.

"All right, I will say no more. But, _g__wador nîn_, you are the most idiotic –"

"Pigheaded –" Elladan supplied.

"Dim witted –"

"Orc-brained –"

"Moronic –"

"Stubborn –"

"Mulish –"

"_Elfling_!"

Legolas, who had so far looked as though he was barely managing to maintain his apologetic expression over the grin that was threatening to break out on his face, made an outraged noise at the word _elfling_.

"Don't deny it!" Elladan said. "For as long as we've known you –"

"That is," Elrohir clarified, "your entire life –"

"We have _attempted_ to drill through your thick skull the fact that you do _not_ have to sit and feel miserable by yourself. Have I not told you more times than I can count that you should come and _wake _us if you have nightmares?"

"And when he says wake us, he does not mean deprive us of sleep for days by getting yourself killed –"

"I did not get myself killed!"

"Not for want of trying!"

"You were in the healing wards!" Legolas protested.

Elrohir looked at Legolas calmly. "There is a difference, _mellon nîn_, between broken arms and life-threatening injuries –"

"As _you_, of all people, ought to know, considering that you have had your fair share of both."

"And you actually believed we would have blamed you!"

"I – I should have done something about the spiders –" the prince mumbled.

"Legolas, were you or were you not commanding the patrol that found them?"

"Yes, and that is precisely –"

"And did you or did you not make what you considered the best decision under the circumstances?"

"Yes, but –"

"And did you not then return and tell us about the spiders –"

"_And_ have word sent to Arbellason about them?"

"Yes, but –"

"Then how is it your fault that we went into the woods without finding out where the nest was and whether it had been dealt with?"

"I should have gone with you –"

"Legolas, you _found_ us and saved us!"

"But –"

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged a glance, and sat down firmly on either side of the prince.

"For two _thousand_ years, elfling, we have been trying to teach you not to blame yourself for what you cannot help."

"We saw you nearly fade from guilt after the death of the queen."

"Which, I might add, was not remotely your fault."

"How do you think we would feel if you brought yourself to that again because of _us_?"

"_Goheno nîn_," Legolas mumbled, not looking either elf in the face.

Without a word, Elrohir wrapped his arms around the prince in a comforting hug. Elladan did the same on the other side.

"But _next_ time," Elrohir said, "you will wake us."

"If you are in Eryn Lasgalen and we in Imladris, you will ride to Imladris if necessary, but you will not indulge in such folly again. Ever!"

Legolas gave a tired nod.

"To bed with you now," Elladan ordered. "Can you get there by yourself?"

"_Yes._"

Elrohir, ignoring Legolas' protestation, tugged him to his feet and insisted on keeping helping him across the room. "We will leave you, Legolas, but you will come and wake us if you need anything."

"You know how to find our room, _tithen pen_? It is not more than ten paces away. You open your door and turn left."

"Your _uninjured_ arm is the left one."

Legolas shot them a mock-glare as they opened the door.

* * *

**Sindarin Translations**

_Daro_ - Stop

_Tithen gwador_ - Little (sworn) brother

_Ada_ - Dad/daddy

_Penneth_ - Young one

_Tithen pen_ - Little one

_Mellon nîn _- My friend

_Goheno nîn_ - Forgive me

* * *

Good? Bad? Ugly?


	18. Deliberations

**DISCLAIMER:** We know who owns it, and it isn't me.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** A bit late... But here it is at last!

Thanks to OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, aajanachleandthecoconess, invisigoth3, Calathiel of Mirkwood, Lady Ambreanna, Firefly-Maj and ArwenGranger for reviewing.

Onward!

* * *

**CHAPTER 18: Deliberations**

"... and _never_ again, Thranduilion!"

"Yes, my lord," Legolas said contritely, trying to ignore Elladan's huge grin.

Glorfindel frowned.

"Have you heard anything I've said, Legolas?"

"Yes, my lord," the younger elf assured him. "Every word."

"Don't tell me you're finished, Glorfindel!" Elrohir protested. "He's getting off far too lightly this time – everyone's been taking pity on him because he's injured."

"Including you," Elladan pointed out.

"That was only because I thought Glorfindel would be thorough! Do you remember how long he lectured us when we put those two rabbits in his study? It was days before we heard the end of it!"

"You've heard the end of it?" Elladan enquired. "_I_ haven't!"

"Anyway, that isn't the point now. The point is that the elfling is not being chastised as he deserves and we should do something about it!"

"I have an idea," Elladan said, slowly turning to face Legolas. "Have you spoken to Erestor yet, elfling?"

Legolas paled.

"Dan, please –"

"Wait right here," Elrohir ordered. "I'll get him."

* * *

Thranduil felt unusually troubled as he called the Council to order. This was a far graver matter than how much to pay for wine from human villages... and more worrisome than orc raids and spiders. He _knew_ what to do about those.

But here... No matter what his brain told him, he would find it very difficult to order, in cold blood, the death of an elf, especially of an elf who had once been one of his warriors. And yet it would be difficult, next to impossible, to hold Bregolien alive for an indefinite length of time.

When the Council members had all taken their seats Thranduil nodded to Arbellason, who stood up and began to explain the situation. Most of the elves already knew – since their return the previous day there had been nothing else spoken of in the stronghold – but they listened intently. Thranduil could tell that they, too, were disturbed about having to make such a decision.

For several minutes Arbellason spoke. When he finished, Thranduil got to his feet.

"I have only this to say... Bregolien, whose fate will be decided in this Council, is the same elf who, more than two thousand years ago, took my beloved wife from me, and has now twice tried to kill my son. Had he harmed _me_ I might have forgiven him. As it is, I must admit that my sense of justice in this matter will be tainted by my desire for vengeance against the elf who slew Lindariel and hurt Legolas. Therefore I will take no decision myself, but will put the matter to vote once the Council has finished its deliberations. Whatever your decision, I will abide by it."

As Thranduil sat down again, Ellaurë, a slender, dark-haired _elleth_ who led the Home Guard, stood.

"If it eases your soul, Thranduil, we will vote on the matter," she said, as the other Councillors nodded agreement. "But I do not think Bregolien will find much sympathy from any of us."

* * *

Rochendilwen was on one of the archery fields, training against a target several yards away. It was not a long shot but her arrow still went slightly wide of the centre.

Cursing fluently in Dwarvish, she went to pick up the arrow.

Aeroniel, who was watching her, wisely said nothing as she returned to her original position, aimed again, and fired. This time the arrow flew true, but the second one with which she quickly followed it, instead of splitting it neatly, landed an inch away.

"Take a break," Aeroniel said.

"I don't need a break."

"Yes, you do. You've been at it for four _hours_. Go and get some food and rest. I mean it, Rochendilwen. Now."

"I'm not hungry."

"Rochendilwen."

"I cannot go inside!" Rochendilwen burst out suddenly. "I cannot..."

Aeroniel crossed her arms.

"Well, at least we know the problem now. Why can't you go inside? You don't have to go home now if you don't want to. We can go find Legolas – he's still confined to his room, and I assume the twins are with him. At least that might amuse you!"

"I want to see Bregolien," Rochendilwen said softly.

"_What!_ Why? Are you out of your mind? It's only going to upset you to talk to him. You know that."

"Yes, but I have to talk to him... I have to know why he did it. He was – well, I always _thought_ he was happy. Of course he was so much older than I was when we came to Greenwood. I cannot even remember another time or another King... But he always said he could."

"Rochendilwen –"

"And I came so close! It sounded so... so _plausible_, the way he said it. Kill Legolas, because that's best for the kingdom. And it would have been so easy. Legolas would never suspect, and he of all people should suspect the _most_." The _elleth_ shivered, her fingers tightening convulsively on her bow. "And so even I have been tempted. I have to talk to him."

"You will need the King's permission."

"He will not refuse."

"No," Aeroniel agreed. "He will not, because you are an adult and more than old enough to make up your own mind. But he _will_ counsel caution, as I do. You cannot know what you will hear if you speak to Bregolien."

* * *

"It is our law," Thorontur said slowly. "That is true." He glanced around the chamber at the other members of the Council. "But law is meant to guide us to fairness, not to bind us to harshness."

One of the other elves got to his feet furiously.

"You think we are too cruel if we speak of sentencing Bregolien to death? He serves the Enemy! Have you forgotten what he has done? Or do the life of your queen and the safety of your prince mean so little to you that –"

"Not another word, Îdhron," Thorontur said coldly. "I loved Lindariel as a sister, and I love Legolas as a son. Let none presume to suggest otherwise. But whatever Bregolien has done, he is one of the Eldar, and a decision to send him to Halls of Mandos cannot be reversed if we regret it. Sentencing him to death is not something we should do lightly."

Îdhron sat down again, but he did not look content. Thorontur took several deep breaths before he spoke.

"If I could follow my impulses, then Thranduil would have to be very quick if he hoped to kill the traitor before I did. But this is a Council, not a battlefield. We are here to deliberate and to choose wisely. And since nobody else stands up to ask if Bregolien should be spared, I will do it. Should he be allowed to live?"

"Thorontur asks a fair question," Arbellason said. "If we do not consider both sides of the issue, then we have not truly debated and we cannot claim to have made a fair decision."

A slender, dark-haired elf near the foot of the table stood.

"Do we debate everything, Arbellason? Do your warriors stand in the midst of battle debating whether or not they should kill the opposing army? Have not slain orcs that threatened our stronghold? None says _then_ that they should be spared because they were once elves. You require fairness of this Council. What of your warriors?"

Arbellason frowned.

"My warriors have killed in battle, to protect themselves and this realm, but prove to me that any of them has, in cold blood, slain a helpless prisoner of _any_ race without thought or reason, and I assure you that that warrior will no longer be serving in our forces. I do not at this moment advocate either killing Bregolien or sparing him. I only say, as Thorontur does, that we should ask ourselves what is to be gained or lost by each course."

"He is hardly a helpless prisoner," Îdhron muttered.

"He is in the dungeons," Thorontur said calmly, "in a cell no more than ten feet wide, carved out of the stone, without windows, with his door guarded by _eight_ elves. Whatever he was in the past or will be in the future, at this moment he is a prisoner and he is helpless."

* * *

"_Ada_ will let me come here, won't he?" Estel asked. "For a few months, for archery training?"

"I don't see why not," Elrohir said from his perch on the windowsill. "But you may not be able to come until next year. Although Dan and I do not have as many important duties as Greenwood's golden prince –" He ducked the cushion Legolas threw in his direction. "We _do_ have things to do, and I do not think he will be able to spare enough warriors for an escort for you immediately. In a few months the High Pass will be snowed up, and then you'll have to wait till spring."

Estel's face fell.

"Of course," Elladan said, exchanging a sly grin with his twin brother, "you _could_ try to persuade Legolas to come back with us and spend a few weeks in Imladris... _Ada_ would be more than willing to let you ride to Eryn Lasgalen with Legolas."

"And it will be good practice for when you eventually marry and have children. Human children are not nearly as stubborn and wrongheaded as elflings –"

"As one _specific_ elfling," Elladan qualified. "So if you manage to get Legolas back here without letting him go unarmed into some patch of orc-infested trees because they looked 'interesting'..."

Legolas scowled.

"Just wait till Calathiel lets me have my bow back."

"You mean you've _finally_ learnt to shoot straight?" Elrohir asked, looking shocked. "When did that happen?"

"Estel," Legolas said, "do a service to an injured warrior. Get that jug from the table by the window – yes, that one. Now hit Ro with it."

Estel laughed and peered inside the jug to see if there was enough water to drench Elrohir. Since there wasn't, he put it back and settled for flinging another cushion at the offending elf.

"Legolas!" Elrohir protested in outrage. "You should know better than to corrupt the young."

"Anyway," Elladan said suddenly, "you _are_ coming to Imladris, elfling – and there will be _no_ argument. We've spoken to your father and he has given us his leave to take you by force if you will not come willingly."

"Perhaps we should have held out for some gold too," Elrohir mused. "He would have given it to us."

* * *

It was dusk when Thranduil finally called for silence. He stood, shaking out his cloak. He had listened to the argument and debate, but had not spoken all day.

"_Mellyn-n__î__n_," he said quietly, "the hour grows late. Is it acceptable to all of you to have the vote now? If anyone wishes to speak further, or thinks the matter has not been given due consideration, or wants more time to think, we can continue tomorrow."

"My counsel is to vote now," Ellaurë said. "Unless anybody wishes to say anything that has not already been said at least six times today. None of us can hope to be _sure_ of what is right, not in a case like this, not if we ponder over it for the rest of this Age and half of the next. Let us each now take some time to think, and let us then vote today."

Thranduil nodded.

"Does anyone object to Ellaurë's proposal?" He was met with shakes of the head from all the elves. "Very well. The issue, then, is this. We cannot free Bregolien, not at this time; it would put the realm in grave danger. We can keep him a prisoner here, indefinitely. It is a terrible punishment for any elf to be out of sight of the sky and the stars. However, he escaped from the dungeons before and he may do so again, and _this_ time, the consequences will be far worse. We can sentence him to death. This has been done before, but never lightly, and never has it ended in unmixed joy. You have all heard all the arguments for both sides. I now adjourn this Council for half an hour. When we meet again, I will call upon you to vote."

* * *

When the Council gathered again, most of the elves were wearing set, determined expressions. Thranduil gave them a few minutes to settle down before he spoke.

"Does anyone want more time to think?" Glances were exchanged and heads shaken around the table. Thranduil nodded. "In that case, I call upon you to vote. Should Bregolien's life be spared?"

Arbellason stood.

"Aye."

Îdhron was next.

"Nay."

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Nay."

"Nay."

"Nay."

"Aye."

"Nay."

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Nay."

Thranduil groaned and shut his eyes in disbelief. Six on each side... He had not expected _that_. He could not, he knew, cast the deciding vote.

"Then we will have to continue our deliberations tomorrow."

"Thranduil," Thorontur said suddenly, "if I may make a suggestion... I think I know a way out."

* * *

Good? Bad? Awful?


	19. Doom

**DISCLAIMER:** Everything you recognize belongs to Tolkien.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This was meant to be the last chapter, but I couldn't quite fit it in... So there will be one more after this (probably a fairly long one) followed by an epilogue.

Thanks to Martiny the one and only still, OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, Lady Ambreanna, ArwenGranger, Anonymous Sister of the Author, Calenlass Greenleaf1, and Rae Simmons for reviewing.

Now, on with the story.

* * *

**CHAPTER 19: Doom**

Thorontur looked around the room. He knew his suggestion would cause uproar – but he also knew that it was the only way out of what looked like turning into an impasse. He met Arbellason's eyes. The other elf gave him a tiny grin, making Thorontur wonder if he was thinking the same thing.

"The Council cannot come to a decision," Thorontur said, looking around at the other elves. "And Thranduil does not wish to rule in this matter. As I see it, there is now only one way to decide what to do." He met Arbellason's amused gaze and Thranduil's resigned one, before he went on. "Since _we_ can come to no decision, and since Thranduil feels that his judgement will be clouded, let us refer to one who _can_ decide. Let us put the matter to Bregolien himself."

As Thorontur had expected, chaos was immediate. It took Thranduil asking and finally _shouting_ for silence to restore some order.

"I am just surprised as all of you," Thranduil said, frowning at his councillors. "But I am sure that Thorontur has a reasonable explanation. I suggest that we _listen_ to what he has to say before we dismiss his proposal out of hand."

Thorontur suppressed a smile. Thranduil could certainly be decisive when he wanted.

"_Le hannon, aran n__î__n_," he said. "I _do_ have an explanation, and I hope you will consider it reasonable. Bregolien's choice, if you take my suggestion, will not be between life and death. It will be between death and eternal captivity. This much is true: he is a kinslayer and a traitor who has shown no sign of repentance. To give him his freedom is unthinkable. If he chooses to live, he will live out his days in the dungeons, with plenty to eat and drink but no sight of the world outside. He will not be permitted visitors and he will be guarded closely enough that he cannot hope to escape." He shrugged. "For any elf, even one so degenerate as Bregolien, such a life would seem cursed. If he thinks he cannot face it, let him choose death – but at least then it will be of his choosing, not of our doing."

"He will never choose death," Arbellason said. "He fears it too much."

Thorontur shrugged again.

"Then he will spend the rest of eternity without seeing the stars or the sun. Before the end comes, he may well wish that he had chosen Mandos."

"Can we give the choice to nobody else?" Îdhron demanded. "What of Rochendilwen?"

"No," Thranduil said, before anyone else could respond. "I will be in dire need before I subject _any_ of my warriors to such an agonizing decision. To ask her to choose between letting her brother live and condemning the killer of her mother to death would be cruel."

"Legolas?"

This time it was Arbellason who said, "No. If we, who are all far older than Legolas, have such difficulty in thinking of justice and not vengeance, we cannot expect him to be fair or objective about the elf who killed his mother before his eyes. I do not know whether Thranduil is willing to ask that of him or not, but as his commanding officer I will not permit it."

* * *

"Here you are, _tithen caun_," Elladan said, as he and Elrohir entered the room laden with two trays each. "As ordered, we located Galion and told him of his prince's sorry plight, unable to join in the feasting and revelry last night, and _still_ confined to his room today."

"He seems to think the four of us are oliphaunts," Elrohir added, nodding at the trays, which were heaped with enough food to supply a dozen elves.

"Or maybe just the two of you," Estel teased, getting up to take one of the trays from Elrohir, and giving Legolas a stern look that made the elf give up his attempt to get out of his chair and help.

"Estel," Elladan said in astonishment, as Legolas sat down again with a scowl in the direction of his three companions, "do not tell me you have actually found a way to make the elfling _obey_?"

"How did you do it?" Elrohir asked, putting his tray down on a table and going to examine Legolas closely.

"Is he running a fever again?" Elladan demanded.

"Let me check –"

"I'm fine."

Elrohir ignored him and felt his forehead. "He seems to be all right," he said reluctantly. "Unless he is in pain and not telling us about it."

"I'm fine."

"Are you _sure_ he's not running a fever? Check again."

"Why do you refuse to believe that I'm fine?" Legolas demanded in exasperation.

"Because you're never fine when you claim you are."

"I am –"

He was interrupted by knocking at the door. The twins exchanged a glance, and then Elrohir went to open it while Elladan seized Legolas' wrist to check his pulse. Legolas rolled his eyes, and nodded to Calathiel, whom Elrohir had just let into the room.

"Help yourself if you haven't eaten yet, and I am perfectly fine."

"I will be the judge of that."

Legolas groaned.

* * *

"How much longer?" Rochendilwen muttered.

She and Aeroniel were waiting in the antechamber outside the council room, and had been doing so for some time.

"I think they're coming now," was all Aeroniel said.

She proved right; a few minutes later, the door opened and several elves came out. One of them spotted the two _ellith_ waiting and came up to them.

"What is it?" she asked anxiously. "Rochendilwen? Is something wrong?"

"Has the council reached a decision?" Rochendilwen enquired, ignoring the question. "What are you going to do?"

"Rochendilwen, is something wrong?"

"No... I only wanted to speak to the king."

"What is it, _penneth_? He told me what happened. You do understand that you did nothing wrong? I do not want you blaming yourself for what is not your fault."

"_Ist__ó__n_," Rochendilwen replied. "I have a favour to ask of him. That is all."

"Hmmm..." the older _elleth_ droned, sounding unconvinced. "You can go in, then. Only Thorontur and Arbellason are there now."

Rochendilwen nodded her thanks, and she and Aeroniel slipped into the council chamber, whose door was still ajar. Thranduil, Thorontur and Arbellason were poring over some old maps of Greenwood; when the two _ellith_ entered all three of them stopped and looked up.

"My king," Rochendilwen said, at a nudge from Aeroniel, "I have a favour to ask of you... if it please you to grant it."

"What is it, _penneth_? If this is about giving up your duties as a warrior, then you will have to persuade Arbellason and Legolas to release you, not me."

"No, my king," Rochendilwen said. "I... I wish to see my brother."

Thranduil frowned. "Is something wrong, _penneth_? Your aunt has been very concerned about you. She tells me you are hardly willing to speak of what has happened."

"I met her just now, my king... My king, I am well, but I _must_ speak to Bregolien. I have to know _why_."

"I will not forbid you from doing this, _penneth_," Thranduil said slowly. "You know that. But are you sure you want to? If he tells you something you do not want to hear, you will not be able to erase the knowledge from your mind."

"I am certain."

"Before she meets him," Arbellason interjected, "she should know his doom – and so should he."

Thranduil hesitated and then nodded.

"So she should. You may stay if you wish, Aeroniel – it will be announced to the warriors soon in any case. The Council has voted on Bregolien's fate, but has been unable to come to a conclusion. For obvious reasons, I did not wish to cast the deciding vote myself."

"What will you do, my king?"

"We are going to let Bregolien choose his doom."

There was a full minute of stunned silence, while both _ellith_ stared at the elven king as though he had gone mad.

Finally Rochendilwen asked, "You will let him choose?"

"Yes," Thorontur said softly. "We will let him choose – either to die, or to live, but imprisoned for the balance of his life. Sit down, _penneth_."

Rochendilwen sat.

"Lord Thorontur – my king – he will never choose death. I know him, perhaps better than any other living soul. He will _never_ choose death, and as long as he lives he will keep trying to find a way to –"

"I know, _penneth_," Thranduil said quietly. "And if he tries to harm... anyone... we will deal with it. But first he must choose – and he may surprise us all in this."

"My king, are you going to speak to him now?"

"I am."

"May I come with you?"

* * *

Thranduil nodded to the guards, who opened the cell door. Two of them went in and brought Bregolien out, holding him very firmly by the arms, while the rest stood with swords drawn, ready to act if he showed any signs of trying to escape.

Thorontur and Arbellason were on either side of the king, while Rochendilwen stood a little further away in the shadows of the passage.

Bregolien looked at the three elves before him, and his face broke into a sudden grin.

"Here you are, then, to speak my doom. I never thought you would be able to summon up the courage. Tell me, then, Thranduil, what will it be? What is your vengeance?"

Thranduil's eyes narrowed.

"I am not here to seek vengeance."

"No?" Bregolien asked, cocking his head. "I wonder why... But then, you were not there when I did it, Thranduil. It is very easy to be just when you do not know... You did not see your wife's eyes when I killed her, nor did you hear your son scream when I tortured him. He was not such a formidable warrior _then_."

"You realize that you are not helping your case," Thranduil said in a controlled voice.

"I realize that you are a coward. If someone had slain _my_ wife I would not be convening councils to decide what to do about it."

The elven king shook his head firmly.

"I am here to pronounce your doom –"

"And Legolas saw every moment of it. Do you think he'll start having nightmares again? Poor little elfling... But if he is _very_ unlucky – or very lucky, depending on how you look at it – I will kill him before he has a chance to have _too_ many nightmares."

"You have a choice," Thranduil said, and although his hand was clenched on the hilt of his sword, his voice was steady. "You may stay here – imprisoned in the cell you just left – for the balance of your immortal life. You will be well looked after, but you will not leave it, and you will see nobody other than the guards. If this fate is unacceptable to you, then you may choose to be sentenced to death. We will give you the night to think over it –"

"I do not need to think over it," Bregolien said dismissively. "Choose to be sentenced to death rather than be deprived of the sight of the stars? I am no mad Sinda. I choose to live, and you may keep me here for as long as you can. But rest assured, Thranduil, I will kill your son. In your stronghold, as you watch, I will kill him. Will you regret this _mercy_ then?"

"Put him back in the cell," Thranduil said tightly. "Your sister wishes to speak to you, Bregolien, and while I have given her my leave, in the circumstances I think it is best that we are present."

"She wishes to speak to me, does she?" Bregolien asked, his eyes on the _elleth_ who made her way, trembling, into the circle of torchlight. "Rochendilwen, my beloved sister. What could she have to say to one she has disowned? No, Thranduil, I will not speak to her. I think I have done enough talking."

As the guards started to drag him back to his cell, he snapped, "Wait!" He turned to look at Thranduil. "I will speak to her on one condition."

"You are in no position to bargain," the elven king pointed out.

"Nevertheless I intend to. I will speak to Rochendilwen if – _if_ – Legolas will be present at the conversation." His smile had no hint of mirth. "I suspect our conversation will concern him closely."

Thranduil's brows drew together as the guards pushed Bregolien into his cell and slammed the door. He focused with a start when he realized that Rochendilwen was saying something.

"I'm sorry, _penneth_, what is it?"

"I will not put Legolas in danger, my king. I do not want to talk to Bregolien if those are his terms."

"That is not your decision to make, _penneth_," Thranduil said. The _elleth_ flushed and opened her mouth to apologize, but Thranduil raised his hand to forestall her. "Nor is it mine."

* * *

"Are you sure, Legolas?" Rochendilwen demanded the next morning, as she, Legolas, Elladan, Elrohir and Estel sat in the little-used room that went by the name of the prince's study.

"How many times has she asked me that?" the blond elf asked, turning to Elladan, who was examining several letters, mainly from the chiefs of the villages that had trade relations with Thranduil's realm, that seemed to have been gathering dust on the desk for months.

"At a guess? Forty."

"In the last hour," Elrohir added. "There is no point frowning at _me_, Rochendilwen. I am only counting. It was the elfling who brought it up."

She shook her head, muttered something about finding the king, and left the room.

"You do realize," Elladan said, "that you are meant to _reply_ to these, _tithen pen_?"

Legolas shrugged.

"Istuion does, usually."

"Then why are they still here?"

"He puts them back when he is finished. I think he hopes that one day when I have nothing else to do I will read them. I get rid of them every five years or the room would be overflowing."

Estel laughed.

"I did not know you were such an able diplomat, _mellon nîn_."

Legolas grimaced.

"Don't make these jokes in my father's presence – he already has disturbing tendencies to think I should spend less time on patrol and more in meetings and negotiations. I do not want to be stuck indoors for the next twenty years!"

"You think your father will stop at twenty?" Elrohir enquired.

Before Legolas could answer, the door opened to admit Thranduil, Thorontur, Rochendilwen, and a dozen guards, two of whom were dragging Bregolien between them. Estel and Elrohir put their hands very firmly on Legolas' shoulders to keep him from getting up.

"Sit, _penneth_," Thranduil said, fixing his son with a look. "Calathiel and Feredir are none too pleased with me for permitting this, and it is only on the condition that you do not exert yourself."

"Do we leave?" Estel whispered to Elrohir.

The elf shook his head. "Thranduil will tell us if he wants us to go," he murmured. "Nobody is in any danger from Bregolien – there are more than enough guards to handle him."

Thranduil crossed the room to stand between Elrohir and Estel, directly behind Legolas, watching impassively as Rochendilwen and Thorontur sat and Bregolien, two elves on either side of him, was led to a chair in the centre of the room.

"Well?" Bregolien demanded. "Do the rest of you plan to stand and listen?"

Thorontur frowned.

"You will not be left alone with –"

"You are scared to leave two of your finest archers alone with one unarmed elf? I'm not surprised your defences are so ineffective. But I will say nothing as long as you are all here. Are you going to leave quickly, Thranduil, or must we all wait while you are stubborn?"

Thranduil's face was inscrutable.

"The guards stay."

"As you wish," Bregolien said, smiling slightly. "The guards stay."

* * *

**Sindarin Translations**

_Le hannon, aran n__î__n._ - Thank you, my king.

_Tithen caun_ – Little prince

_Penneth_ – Young one

_Mellon nîn_ – My friend

* * *

Well, now you know who got the deciding vote. ;)

Good? Bad? Please review!


	20. Denouement

**DISCLAIMER:** Not Tolkien. Own nothing.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I'm so sorry – I didn't mean to leave everyone for so long with that most unsatisfying end to the last chapter. But circumstances have been particularly dreadful these past days. *Shakes a stick at RL*

This is not _quite_ the end, because there is an epilogue to come. It should be up in a few days. In the meantime, I hope this chapter makes up for the wait.

Many thanks to XoLikeWoahxO, , OnCeInABlUeMoOn14, Lady Ambreanna, ArwenGranger, ProRodeoCowgirl, Calathiel of Mirkwood, invisigoth3, Seekay, Silivren Tinu and Anonymous Sister of the Author for reviewing.

* * *

As a bonus to make up for the delay, here is the whole of the lament sung for Legolas' mother in Chapter 17 (yes, I really did write the whole thing before posting that chapter ;), and many thanks to Calenlass for editing it):

Lindariel! The Woods are grey

Which once were fair and newly green!

The sun sets on a darker day

And mourns our vanished Elven-queen.

--

With knife and falchion and with bow

The soldier holds the shadow back,

But you, sweet queen, were graced to know

The weapons that the archers lack.

--

Lindariel! Your voice was bright

When through the realm your song you sang!

You stayed the dark and brought the light

And Greenwood with elation rang.

--

'Neath beech and oak and elm you stepped,

And bade the trees grow strong and tall;

In joy and peace the forest slept,

And then it knew no foeman's thrall.

--

Lindariel! That you were here!

By war and blood we keep our lands;

Your kinsmen walk the Woods in fear

Of being slaves to Sauron's hands.

--

You knew our Woods when they were blessed –

And now we know our time is nigh!

One final lay to you addressed

We sing beneath this Eastern sky.

--

Mayhap our song, borne by the breeze

To Mandos' Halls, where now you dwell,

May find you past the Western Seas,

Fair woodland queen, Lindariel!

And now enough maudlin laments, on with the story!

* * *

**CHAPTER 20: DENOUEMENT**

Rochendilwen got out of her chair and took Elladan's place beside Legolas as the others filed out of the room. The guards, all eyeing the dark-haired _ellon_ with unbridled distrust, formed a loose circle around them, swords half-drawn. Bregolien's gaze flitted from his sister to the prince and back, his face betraying no emotion.

He waited until the heavy door had been pushed shut before he spoke, and then it was only to ask challengingly, "What did you wish to say to me, Rochendilwen?"

"Tell me _why_," the _elleth_ demanded. "Why did you betray us? I trusted you – I _loved_ you, _muindor_. Thranduil and Lindariel were good to us; they never held _Nana's_ actions against her, and nobody treated us with anything but consideration and respect, for all that we have the blood of the Avari. You were a warrior of the realm, and respected for your skill. Yet you turned your back on _everything_, and for what? To spend the last two thousand years in thralldom to the Necromancer? Why would you do that?"

"Is it not obvious?" Bregolien hissed. "You cannot remember our father, but I brought my memories of him to Greenwood. I brought my memories of our father's people. We were not born to this." He made a contemptuous gesture that took in Legolas, the guards, and the entire room. "Too long have the Avari been disregarded by our nobler kin. Too long have we waited in darkness."

"Too long have we waited in darkness?" Rochendilwen repeated incredulously. "You killed your own kin and plunged an entire realm into mourning, and your only cause was that you thought our father's race neglected in the councils of the wise?"

"The councils of the wise?" Bregolien spat. "What care I for the Noldorin lords and their maundering about how everything was better in Valinor? I acted because I sensed too much disdain for those who refused the Journey, and I sensed that disdain directed towards us, even if you did not."

"Yet you could have acted with forbearance," Legolas said, speaking for the first time, his voice giving no indication of his seething anger. "My father has ever been open and willing to give a patient hearing to anyone. Had you spoken to him of your concerns, he would have done all he could –"

"What could your beloved _ada _have done, _tithen caun_? Could he have ordered people to change how they felt?"

"There could have been no more than a handful of unfriendly elves," Rochendilwen protested. "That much I _do_ remember. And if they _were_ unfriendly, it was only out of ignorance."

"A handful? Nobody truly trusted me –"

"And you proved them right! Did you ever stop to wonder whether you did not have their trust because of the accident of your blood, or because they had some inkling of the malice in your heart? It is not the custom of elves to hold one accountable for another's actions, and I have never known it to happen here."

"What would _you_ know? You have always been in favour with the king –"

"That is precisely my point!" Rochendilwen got to her feet furiously, ignoring Legolas' restraining hand on her arm. "When you betrayed our realm, killed our queen, and brought Legolas to the very brink of death, when all knew that I had honoured you and loved you and taken your counsel in all things, I was _still_ in favour with the king. Do not blame our parentage for your actions, Bregolien. The truth is that _you_ were vicious and cruel and you longed for power."

"Do you not?"

* * *

Elladan sat scowling at the oaken door opposite which he sat. It was thick enough to muffle words but not voices, and everyone outside, including Estel, could hear the heated exchange taking place in the room, although they could not make out what was being said.

"Relax," Elrohir murmured. "He'll be fine. He has a dozen guards in there with him."

"It is not his physical well-being that worries me."

Elrohir nodded understanding, concern filling his own eyes. Casting around for a change of subject, he glanced at Estel, who was staring at the floor, and said softly, "At any rate Estel seems to have taken to him."

"Did you doubt it?" Elladan asked, chuckling. "He has been eager to visit the woodland realm ever since he learnt how long Legolas has been our closest friend. And they are much alike."

"Are you sure we have been wise?" Elrohir whispered. "We have encouraged this friendship, but Estel is a mortal, and Legolas has had far less association with men than either of us. It will not be easy for him."

"You know he is strong. He has endured parting before; death is far from unknown here."

"Aye, but the death of the firstborn, with the hope of reunion in Aman. He will be parted from Estel unto the breaking of the world. _That_ he has not known before. He is not a fool; he knows the risk he will have to take, but I do not believe he understands it."

"We will be there to help him through whatever may come," Elladan said firmly.

* * *

"I want _nothing_," Rochendilwen snarled. "I am content with my life here and I have no desire to follow your blighted road."

"Then why did you ask me about it?"

"Because I had to know!" With a muttered curse that was halfway a sob, the _elleth_ sank into her chair again. "I had to know what made you, whom I loved and trusted, follow a path of such darkness and evil. I had to know, so that I may hold firm if ever I should be assaulted by the same temptations."

"Then you have felt them."

"_No!_"

"Yes, you have." Bregolien looked at Legolas, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You admire your valiant commander, do you not? Do you know that I have heard him being less than brave?" Legolas' eyes widened in sudden apprehension. "The glorious young archer of Greenwood, was he not? Unparalleled in his skill; yet that skill failed him when he needed it the most, and he was reduced to begging for his mother's life."

"And you speak of this with pride? You are past all hope of redemption."

"Don't change the subject, _penneth_. Have you never felt –"

"No."

"But you are not trusted, Rochendilwen."

"How _dare_ you –"

"If the king trusted you, why would he leave guards here? Does he consider you incapable of protecting his son, should such a need arise? Or does he consider you unwilling?"

"The guards are here so that Rochendilwen may concentrate on speaking with you without having to worry about your intentions and any weapons you may be concealing about your person," Legolas said coldly.

"Do you trust her, Legolas?"

"I trust all my warriors completely."

"Send the guards out."

"_No!_" Rochendilwen said sharply. "I have had enough of this conversation. Ask them to take him away."

"I am not finished yet," Bregolien snapped.

"_I_ am finished with _you_."

"You have not heard everything, Rochendilwen!"

"I have heard enough to know that I had no cause for fear. I am nothing like you and I never will be!"

"You are sure of yourself."

"Legolas, tell them to take him away!"

Legolas nodded to the guards' captain, who pulled Bregolien to his feet. Before he could be dragged away, though, he wrenched his arm from the elf's grip and turned to confront his sister again.

"Would you dishonour our sister's memory by serving those who caused her death?"

"It was her captors who killed her," Rochendilwen ground out. "And no other is responsible for what happened that night."

"Did you ever ask if they tried hard enough to save her?"

"Leave."

Bregolien laughed coldly. "Mayhap if you think back to the sight of our mother's body –"

With a wordless cry, Rochendilwen got to her feet, pulling her knives from their sheath as she did so.

Legolas cursed softly in Dwarvish, indicated to the guards that they should not get involved, and placed himself between the siblings. It was only after he had done so that he realized he had not thought to take a weapon from one of the guards first.

* * *

The elves, all seasoned warriors, sensed the change first. Four heads shot up and four furious, piercing gazes were levelled at the door. Only a second later, Estel followed suit.

"What is happening?" he whispered, alarmed by the sudden silence from within.

"I do not know," Thorontur said. "One of the guards would have called us if there had been any need, the elfling's stubbornness notwithstanding. But something is wrong."

"Should we go in?" Elladan asked.

"No," Thranduil said. "Not yet. Neither Legolas nor Rochendilwen will thank us for interfering without cause."

* * *

Rochendilwen scarcely knew what she was doing as she advanced on her tormentor with blades drawn. There was a soft sound and a flash of movement, and then someone had taken firm hold of her wrists and was pushing her back.

"Let me go," she spat, trying to wrench free of the strong grip.

"Calm down, Rochendilwen. You are not yourself," came the unyielding response, and she realized that it was Legolas who had stopped her. That only served to stoke her temper further.

"You will not – you cannot stop me from dealing justice –"

"His doom has been decided. It is not for you to extract vengeance now."

Rochendilwen struggled furiously, aware that in his presently weakened condition Legolas would not be able to restrain her for long. She could already feel his grip slackening. With an effort, she twisted her hands free, making the elf prince stagger back a pace.

"Let me do this," she said heatedly, advancing on him. "Let me kill him –"

"Kill him, by all means," Bregolien's voice came, and Rochendilwen, returning to herself with a start, realized that she was still holding her knives and brandishing one of them in dangerous proximity to Legolas. And that, she knew as she stepped away from him, was precisely what her brother had wanted.

She practically threw herself into her chair again, knives falling unheeded to the ground, and cast a pleading glance in Legolas' direction.

He nodded and gave a soft instruction to the guard captain.

* * *

Estel was first through the door as soon as it opened, his anxiety such that he did not even glance in the direction of Bregolien or his gaolers. He ran to Legolas, demanded irritably to know why the elf was standing, and propelled him to a chair.

"I am fine," Legolas grumbled, as Elladan and Elrohir joined their foster brother. "You can all stop looking at me like that now."

"How are we looking at you?" Estel asked.

"Suspiciously."

"You have given us cause," Elladan pointed out.

"Again," Estel added.

Legolas turned beseechingly to Elrohir, the only one of the trio who had said nothing yet. The younger twin, who since the days of Legolas' infancy had had little or no resistance to his ability to look deceptively guileless, sighed in frustration and patted his friend's shoulder.

"All right, elfling. I'll get Dan to let you off lightly this time."

He was rewarded with an exasperated glare from Elladan, a look of utter incredulity from Estel, and a bright smile from Legolas. Before anything more could be said, he heard his name called, and turned to find Thranduil beckoning to him and Elladan as Thorontur led Rochendilwen out of the room.

Leaving Estel to keep Legolas company, the twins hurried over to the elven king.

"My lord?" Elladan said softly. "What is it? Is Rochendilwen well?"

"Only weary," Thranduil said. "And little wonder. I understand she has been ordered to rest for the next month, so I do not doubt that she will recover. I am worried now about Bregolien. It seemed like a good idea, but I begin to have very serious doubts. I do not know if we can hold him securely for very long, and I can hardly rescind the decision of the Council now. I would ask you to take a message to your father for me, that I may seek his advice in this."

"Of course, my king," Elrohir said. "Although I believe I know what he will say."

"Oh?" Elladan asked, cocking an eyebrow in his brother's direction in an uncanny imitation of their august father. "What will he say?"

"Put him on the next ship leaving Middle-earth. Let him answer to the justice of Ingwë – perhaps even the justice of the Valar themselves."

"That is not what _Ada_ would say," Elladan pointed out. "That is what _you_ want."

"I _do_ want that," Elrohir admitted, chuckling. "I imagine he will be cast straight into Mandos, and I hope he will be one of those never permitted to leave."

"You do realize that his judgement by the Valar can only occur if he is admitted to _Valinor, penneth?" _Thranduil asked. "One such as he may well be refused."

"Then he must return to Middle-earth by the same road," Elrohir said, his eyes mirthful. "Ulmo has ever been the friend of our kind. Who knows what will be wrought upon Bregolien if he sails the Sea alone?"

Thranduil's lips twitched.

"Sorely tempted though I am, I still desire you to deliver my message to your father, Elrondion – if only that he may dissuade me from following your suggestion."

"_Ada_? Dissuade you?" Elladan laughed. "Knowing how we all feel about this, my king, he is likelier to send a list of inventive tortures to Valinor as a strong hint to whoever passes judgement."

* * *

The silence between Legolas and Estel held no hint of discomfort. It was the human who broke it first.

"Legolas?"

"Yes?"

"You _will_ return to Imladris with us?"

"Although my inclination is to the contrary, it seems that I shall be given no option," Legolas said cheerfully. At Estel's crestfallen expression, he hastened to add, "_S__î__dh, tithen pen. _I was jesting. I shall be very happy to see Imladris again."

"I hope _Ada_ will let me return with you."

"Not to worry," Legolas assured him with a grin. "He knows we will not let you come to harm."

"Yes, but he thinks I have spent too much time on sword training these past years, and he plans to make me devote myself to more scholarly pursuits for some months. He may not think archery training is necessary at this time."

Legolas laughed at the young human's woebegone expression, and said, "Do not worry, Estel. I know how to get around Lord Elrond."

Estel smiled as well, and said, "One way or another, I will be able to introduce you to my mother."

"I look forward to it, _penneth_."

"She is a little wary of elves... She likes them, of course, but she thinks they are too... too... restrained."

Legolas could not stop himself then; he burst into helpless laughter, drawing astonished looks from his father and the twins.

"That is what comes of associating with Noldor," the elf prince managed to gasp at last. "Rest assured, _penneth_, I will communicate to her that we do not stand for stuffiness in this realm. Of course she would be welcome here as well, but I would not ask her to make such a long journey when there is such darkness in the world."

Estel only grinned.

"Can you train me well enough to best Dan and Ro?"

"I am not the most able of instructors, although I can certainly testify to Thorontur's skill as a teacher. In any case it should take you little effort to best Dan and Ro. Your brothers shoot like Dwarves."

"We heard that, elfling."

Estel took one look at the elves bearing down upon them and shot behind Legolas' chair, ducking for cover.

* * *

**Sindarin Translations**

_Ellon_ - Male elf

_Elleth_ - Female elf

_Muindor_ - Brother

_Nana_ - Mum/Mummy

_Ada_ - Dad/Daddy

_Tithen caun_ - Little prince

_Penneth_ - Young one

_S__î__dh, tithen pen. - Peace, little one._

* * *

What did you think? Good? Bad?


	21. Epilogue

**DISCLAIMER:** All of it belongs to the Professor.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Well, this is finally the end... Many, many thanks to all the people who've read this fic, especially those who reviewed or added it to Favourite/Alert lists. You kept me going, _mellyn n__î__n_.

Many thanks to Calenlass Greenleaf1, XoLikeWoahxO, PeppyPower, Silivren Tinu, invisigoth3, Calathiel of Mirkwood, Lady Ambreanna, ArwenGranger and Elfinabottle for reviewing.

Onward to the end!

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Lord Elrond and Lady Gilraen were summoned at once when the riders were sighted. They went to the courtyard to await the arrivals, Gilraen displaying an unwonted restlessness that was at odds with her normal calm demeanour.

"Be at ease, my lady," Elrond said, smiling. "Estel must be fine. We would have been told if it were otherwise."

Just then one of the guards ran up to them and murmured something to Elrond. Lady Gilraen looked at them curiously, but, lacking elven hearing, she could not tell what was being said. At last Elrond nodded, thanked the guard, and asked him to go back to his post.

"It appears things are about to become interesting, my lady," Elrond said, smiling slightly. "Apparently Legolas is with the riders... I should have expected that my sons would talk him into a visit."

"Thranduil's son?"

"Aye. I do not know whether to be glad or terrified. It is always a pleasure when Legolas is here, but he is insatiably curious about _everything_. It has caused trouble more than once, usually for him. But I must admit that he has improved in recent years... He was well-nigh impossible to contain when he was an elfling."

"If he is coming here... Does that mean Estel made a good impression on Thranduil?"

Elrond laughed. "Legolas and my sons have been friends nearly all their lives, so I do not know that Thranduil's reaction to Estel can be deduced from his presence in Imladris. But I am perfectly sure Estel made a good impression on Legolas, which is enough. Thranduil can never bring himself to deny his son anything."

Gilraen nodded.

"Claiming the throne of Men will be difficult enough, but holding it will be far harder. Estel will need the support of all the elven realms if he is to have any measure of success."

"Thranduil seldom interferes in the affairs of Men."

"All the same, being in his bad graces would not help Estel in the least." Gilraen stopped speaking as the gates opened and the riders entered. Glorfindel was leading, as he always did. The others followed in twos and threes, with one of the sons of Elrond – Gilraen thought it was Elladan, but could not be sure – taking the rearguard, along with a strange elf who had to be Thranduil's son.

Gilraen eyed the elf with unconcealed curiosity. She did not know many elves; she had little interaction with those outside Elrond's household. He seemed merry and outgoing – far too merry and outgoing to be a warrior of the woodland realm, as she had been told he was.

Then Estel saw her, dismounted, and ran to her with a glad cry. Gilraen forgot all her speculation about Sindarin princes and Mirkwood warriors in the joy of greeting her son.

Elrond, meanwhile, formally welcomed Erestor, Glorfindel and the rest of the warriors before turning his attention to his sons and their friend.

"_Mae govannen, hîr nîn_," Legolas said, inclining his head politely.

"Welcome, Legolas." Elrond finally permitted himself to smile. "Your room is ready for you, as always. Might I hope that _this_ time you will endeavour not to visit the healing wards? I do not believe Thranduil has entirely forgiven me for that _last_ incident."

"He doesn't blame you for it, _Ada_," Elladan said.

"He blames us," Elrohir supplied. "And the elfling. And the idiot Archery Master who taught the elfling to shoot."

"And the seneschal of Imladris, who encouraged him to go riding with us."

Before Elrond could say anything, Estel interrupted, seizing Legolas by the hand and pulling him away from the twins. Legolas, too startled to react, found himself being presented to Lady Gilraen in what his father would have termed a most inappropriate fashion.

"Legolas, this is _Nana_," Estel said, smiling brightly. "_Nana_, this is my friend Legolas. He's going to teach me archery. King Thranduil said I could return to Mirkwood for the winter to learn."

Legolas recovered himself enough to bow formally. "_Mae govannen, Híril Gilraen._"

For a moment Gilraen was not certain how to respond. Finally she managed to say, "It is an honour to meet you, Thranduilion. Estel, are you so displeased to be home that you speak of leaving as soon as you have returned?"

Estel flushed, but managed a scapegrace grin for his mother.

"I am pleased to be home, _Nana_, but Glorfindel told me Thorontur is the best archery teacher this side of the Sea."

"That is no idle praise, my lady," Elrohir offered. "After all, Thorontur managed to teach even _Legolas_ not to shoot too wide."

"Glorfindel, on the other hand, had absolute no success with you and Elladan," Legolas said, easily ducking the blow Elrohir aimed at him, but not managing to avoid Elladan's. Gilraen looked slightly bemused as Legolas fixed the older twin with an accusing stare that fazed the dark-haired elf not in the least.

Gilraen, glancing at her son, was surprised to find him standing next to Legolas, offering to adjudicate if the prince wanted to settle the question on the archery fields. She forced herself not to frown; she had agreed to let him go to Mirkwood because it was always prudent to be on good terms with other rulers and because he truly did need to see the world outside Imladris, but she was not sure that it would be the best thing for him to develop too close a friendship with the prince.

She had nothing against Legolas, of whom she had heard only good reports from both Elrond and Glorfindel, but as she watched Estel laughing with the three young elves, she was suddenly worried that her son would be a stranger to his own people.

Then Legolas, glancing up at her, smiled brightly. Gilraen, her worries disappearing, could not help smiling back. How much her son would be able to relate to his people was a problem for another day. For now, it was enough that he was happy in the company of friends. She made a mental note to try to get to know Legolas better over the next few weeks. She had never been particularly fond of the young elven warriors who were always in and out of the Last Homely House, but then Estel had never taken to any of them as thoroughly as he seemed to have taken to the prince of Mirkwood.

"Well, my lady," the Master of Imladris said, with an affectionate glance in the direction of the four figures now bickering cheerfully as they led their horses to the stable, "at any rate the next few weeks will not be tedious."

* * *

**Sindarin Translations**

_Mae govannen_ – Well met

_Hîr nîn –_ My lord

_Híril Gilraen –_ Lady Gilraen

* * *

Good? Bad?

There is a prequel planned for this, although I probably won't start posting it for a few weeks, and perhaps a sequel chronicling Estel's winter in Mirkwood – although _that_, even if it does get written, will probably be a series of one-shots rather than a multi-chapter fic.

Many thanks to all my wonderful reviewers, and I hope you liked this story.


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